Knights of the Old Republic: StarCrossed Lovers
by Angel of Eternity
Summary: UPDATED! The epic journey of Revan and his rag-tag crew as they fight to save the Galaxy. LSM Revan/Bastila Review please!
1. Prologue

Right, so…Kotor. Yeah…my version. Classic Bastila/MaleRevan paring.

Disclaimer: I don't own Knight of the Old Republic or anything Star Wars related.

Here we go!

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"Bastila, duck!" Alexander Stargaze shouted as the Mandalorian raider raised his blaster carbine. The young Jedi acted instantly, dropping to her knees a heartbeat before the air was torn apart by laser charges. Bastila lashed out with her Force powers and knocked the man's legs out from under him. Alexander leapt into the air and landed hard on the Mandalorian's chest, burying the violet blade of his lightsaber deep into his neck. The Mandalorian's head rolled clear of his neck and continued down the grassy hill. Bastila stood and brushed herself off.

"Thanks." She said with a tight grin. Alexander nodded breathlessly and charged the next warrior. He ducked under a vibroblade aimed for his neck and slashed his saber through his attacker's knees. The Mandalorian fell like a fallen tree, a scream of rage on his lips. A burst of heavy laser rounds drew Bastila's attention to the Mandalorian at her side. Canderous's repeating blaster spat bright almost white beams of energy. Two of their Rodian attacks died, their bodies torn to shreds in the crossfire. Bastila felt a wave of savage joy from the Mandalorian and fought back her disgust.

_There is no emotion…_

"Maybe next time you'll be more attentive in battle." Canderous sneered close to Bastila's ear, "We don't have time to look after the weak." Bastila snapped out of her trance and glared at him.

"Bite me." Bastila shot back. Canderous grinned.

"I don't think your lover boy would like me doing that." Bastila glared at him.

"Do you do anything besides talk?" Bastila asked coldly and moved to help Alexander before he could reply. Alexander ducked under a crackling vibroknife and plunged his saber through the gut of his attacker. With a grunt of effort, he ripped the blade up through the Rodian's ribcage and collar bone. The Rodian collapsed in a heap of green flesh and blood. Alexander lifted the fallen knife with the force and hurled it at the Mandalorian leader. The blade cut through his powered armor and buried itself hilt deep in his leg. The raider ripped the blade free and raised his heavy blaster pistol. Then Bastila was at his side. With a quick swipe of her blade she took the man's head from his shoulders. The Mandalorian's body remained standing for a heartbeat before his knees buckled and he fell to the ground.

"I was going to do that." Alexander whined. Bastila shrugged and smiled at him.

"Don't be ridiculous." She said, "He was about to blast you. Once again I saved your life because you're just too slow." Alexander walked up to her until they were less than a foot apart and stared down at her face.

"Just you wait." He whispered, "I'll show you just how slow and careful I can be." Bastila's lip quivered as she repressed a grin and looked away.

"You're impossible." She said after she caught her breath. Alexander's face lingered near hers for a moment before he walked away to search the still floating speeders the raider's used. Bastila followed him and pressed a button on the side of one of the speeders. With a hiss a small compartment opened and she peered inside. There wasn't much. A few medpacks and strength stimulates. She put them in the pouch on her belt, closed the compartment and put her hands on the speeder to rest. She glanced over at the Jedi next to her. He stood over the body of the fallen Mandalorian leader, examining the energy shield on his wrist. Alexander's soft brown hair billowed gently in the wind. Dantooine's setting sun was behind him, bathing him in golden orange light. The scene reminded Bastila of some epic mural depicting one of the old Heroes of the Republic such as Captain Ventris of the Republic Marines, or the mighty General Hecktor. For a brief moment Bastila wonder if it were not for a twist of fate, would Alexander have his own statues and painting, depicting his handsome features and epic battle zeal?

Alexander looked up from the dead raider as he clipped a silver shield generator to his wrist. His eyes met Bastila's and he walked over to her and sat down on the speeder behind her.

"Not my favorite battle." He said at last and Bastila found herself agreeing with him. Hunting down raiders wasn't how she had hoped to spend the day.

"Bah! That was no battle." Canderous said with a dismissive wave, "When we return to the _Ebon Hawk_, I'll tell you of the battle on Saltar Prime against your Jedi Revan" Alexander felt a sudden spike of emotion over from Bastila and looked over. She looked up and met his worried gaze easily.

"Sorry." She said with a smile, "There was a spider on my foot." Alexander smiled and rolled his eyes.

"You're such a little cry-baby"

"Oh, shut up! I don't like spiders." Bastila shot back.

"I'll keep that in mind for future pranks." Alexander said with a wink.

Bastila rolled her eyes and began the journey back to the Jedi Enclave. Alexander smiled when he caught a glimpse of amusement in her eyes. Alexander caught himself watching her hips swaying and quickly looked away. He blinked a few times to clear his mind.

"See something you like?" Canderous whispered in his ear. Alexander shot him a fierce look.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Alexander said quickly and followed his Jedi companion. Canderous fell into step next to him and slung his carbine over his shoulder.

"So, tell me, what happened at Saltar Prime was it?"

"Aye." Canderous nodded, "Have you ever heard of the world?" Alexander thought for a moment.

"I think so." He said eventually. Bastila glanced back.

"_Should I stop him?_" she thought, "_It would look suspicious if I do, but he_ _might reveal too much of Revan's past."_ She decided against it but made a mental note to talk to the Council on what stories Alexander should hear. A bitter taste entered her mouth at the mere thought of the Jedi Council. She looked back at the innocent face of Alexander as Canderous began his story. Bastila smiled to herself. If nothing else he was cute. Bastila sighed; if anyone one deserved to know the truth, it was him. She hated lying to him but the Council had been unanimous in its vote. She only hoped that she had the fortitude to keep lying to him. It was growing difficult to simply look him in the eyes, much less talk to him. Even without their bond, Bastila could feel the power that surrounded him. The air of confidence and absolute certainty that they would succeed in defeat Malek. It was infectious.

"Saltar Prime is a mineral world." Alexander said, drawing Bastila's attention back to the conversation at hand, "Energy crystals, if I'm not mistaken. The Republic uses them in their blaster rifles."

"Correct." Canderous said, "Any laser for that matter couldn't function without the refined crystals minded on Saltar Prime. We thought that if we destroyed their mining colony then the Republic would crumble."

"But Revan knew this." Alexander said. It was not a question.

"Revan knew, and constructed a mighty fortress to protect the colony." Canderous said with a gleam in his eye, "It was the greatest fortress I've ever seen. Adamantium walls hundreds of meters high, brimming with defensive cannons and die-hard Republic commandos."

"Let me guess." Alexander said with a grin, "You went in."

"Revan laid down the challenge and we accepted. We launched a full frontal assault. Legions of Mandalorians marched side-by-side with the largest siege mechs we had. The Battle for Saltar Prime was the largest land-based battle of the entire war."

"And where were you?" Alexander asked, trying to imagine the scale of the battle.

"I led a platoon of elite saboteurs to destroy the energy shield protecting the fortress. As long as the energy shields were up, our siege engines couldn't break the outer walls. We were less than a hundred meters from the walls when the Republic suddenly counter-attacked. A strike force led by Revan himself suddenly cut through the sky on Stormbird drop ships. They landed in the center of our forces, and all unit cohesion was destroyed."

"You saw him?" Bastila cut in, suddenly worried, "You saw Revan?" Alexander noted the concern in her voice and threw her a glance.

"Only from a distance." Canderous confirmed, "My unit was too far ahead of the main battle force." Alexander reached out with the force to a slightly relieved Bastila.

"_Hey, you ok?"_

"_Yes Alex. I'm…I'm fine."_

"_Bastila, I just want to help. I…I'm worried about you"_

"_Believe me Alex, I'm fine. Simply tired." _Alexander caught her eye and nodded. Something was bothering her, but damned if he knew what it was. He turned his attention back to the veteran Mandalorian but promised that he would talk to Bastila later.

"What was he like?"

"Revan was a whirlwind." Canderous breathed, lost in his memories, "He was a force of nature. Everywhere his blades fell, another Mandalorian died. Dozens of Jedi followed him, tearing the heart from our forces."

"Sounds gruesome." Bastila was slightly relieved to hear the honesty in Alexander's voice.

"War is always gruesome." Canderous said coldly.

"What happened next?"

"My unit made it to the power regulator connecting the energy generators to the shields. It was nothing more that an over-sized power cable running from the fortress to the generators underground. We charged the few men assigned to guard it. I admit I was curious to find that so few stood in our way."

"Perhaps Revan forgot about the cable until too late." Alexander suggested with a shrug.

"Not likely." Canderous said grimly, "The fighting was close and bloody. We dispatched the soldiers with virboblades and pistols. I still remember choking the life from a young Republic soldier."

"You're sick." Bastila spat, disgusted.

"War isn't pretty Princess." Canderous shot back, "We did what we had to do to win."

"Then what?" Alexander asked.

"We placed thermal charges on the cable and the shields surrounding the fortress fell. For the first time in weeks, we could damage it. Our forces surged forward, rolling past Revan's pocket of resistance and into the fortress."

"You took the fortress?"

"Yes, but not in the way we wanted." Canderous said simply, "Revan proved he tactical genius once again. Once inside we found nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing." Canderous confirmed, "There was no inner citadel, and no mining colony. Revan had simply constructed a massive killing field hundreds of square meters wide. The Republic defenders turned their tank-killing cannons on us, blasting whole squads to atoms. Regiments found themselves without cover, at the mercy of the ground shaking defense cannons along the outer walls. Thousands of Mandalorian died before Revan pulled his forces back."

"He retreated?"

"There was no need for him to stick around." Canderous said sadly, "His trap had been sprung and the momentum of his counter-attack had been lost. He made us bleed and die for a worthless fortress. We were left the defeated masters of a smoking, corpse filled field."

"Sounds horrible." Alexander said aghast.

"We were at war." Canderous said, "Revan wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. It was victory at any cost." Alexander nodded and fell silent as the neared the Enclave. A man dressed in simple traveling clothes jogged towards them, a hate filled fire burning in his eyes. Canderous moved past the man and entered the enclave.

"You can go on ahead." Alexander said, "I won't mind." Bastila shook her head and smiled.

"I'd rather be with you than scruffy Mandalorian." Bastila said, "Why do you put up with his terrible war stories?" Alexander thought for a moment. Before he could respond, the man stopped in front of them, breathless.

"Did…did you kill them?" Jon asked. Alexander sighed sadly and Bastila felt a twinge of sympathy for him.

"We did." Alexander confirmed, "All of them." Jon smiled wickedly and whooped with joy. Bastila saw Alexander flinch at such a vulgar celebration of death.

"Oh thank you." Jon said, "Here take this. It's the least I can do to repay you." Alexander held up a hand and shook his head.

"Please don't." He said firmly, "I can't take your money. But I want you to promise me one thing."

"Anything." Alexander placed both hands on Jon's shoulders and looked him in the eyes,

"Let go." He said simply, "Just let go of your hatred. It's over. Your daughter would want you to be happy, not to wallow in rage for the rest of your life." Jon looked shocked but Bastila felt Alexander gently stroking the rage in Jon's heart with his Force powers, slowly easing them away. Jon let out a slow breath and nodded.

"I promise." He said at long last and walked away, a distant look in his eyes. Bastila watched him go then looked back at Alexander. He had a pained look in his eyes.

"Alex?" Bastila whispered, "What's wrong?"

"We…we failed him." He said slowly. Bastila put a hand on his massive shoulder and shook her head.

"That wasn't the way of it. You brought that man peace."

"I shouldn't have had to!" Alexander snapped, suddenly angry, "We failed to protect his family and he paid the price." Bastila moved her hand from his shoulder to his face and gently turned it to face her.

"There was nothing we could do." She said simply, "We were on Taris. You have to let this go. You can't protect the entire Galaxy."

"No one should ever have to burry their child Bastila." Alexander said, "No one should have to suffer like that. I know this shouldn't upset me, but I does. I feel…compelled to save people, to make sure they never suffer. Make sure Carth never suffers, Mission never suffers, Zaalbar never suffers…_you_ never suffer" Bastila smiled and nodded her head.

Bastila looked at him for a moment, studying his face. He was deep in thought, considering what she had told him. His brow was furrowed in concentration, the thin scar on his eyebrow folding upon itself. He could be very sullen and serious at times, but he always managed to fine some humor. Alexander caught her stare and poked her shoulder.

"Hey is there something you want to talk to me about?" he asked, unsure if that would go over well or not.

"Yes, actually. How could you tell?"

"You were staring," he stated bluntly.

He could tell she was taken aback by that answer. "I was not staring! I was merely studying your reactions."

Alexander raised an eyebrow. "I think we both know the real reason you were staring at me."

Now she was angry. "I am a Jedi! I would not betray such feelings with an outward display. My interest in you is purely academic."

He was enjoying this immensely. "Interest?"

"Yes, "interest". I would like to know more about you, given our relationship."

"Our relationship? Is that some kind of come on?"

"What – I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about. I assure that if I was interested in a romantic liaison, I could come up with something much better than that. Now may I please just ask you some questions?"

Alexander was struggling to suppress the grin that was threatening to break out on his face. "Sure," he said, not the slightest bit uncomfortable with the fact that she was quizzing him.

"Just a few questions, nothing too personal. First, what is your name?"

He stared at her for a few seconds. What was she thinking? "Alexander…" he answered slowly.

"Good. Now, what is your occupation?"

"A soldier, nothing too fancy."

"Where were you born?"

"Deralia, a planet on the Outer Rim."

"And your current age is?"

He smiled mischievously. "3, 012. Healthy living, you know." Bastila rolled her eyes and sighed. "

I can see you won't take this seriously either. We'll continue talking when you decide to quit acting like a boy, and act more like a...man."

"Hey, whoa!" Alexander exclaimed, raising his hands, "I'm sorry but I just don't see the point in all these questions. Wasn't this on my service record?"

"Yes it was." Bastila confirmed, "Actually, I was checking how you responded to my questions. You acted immature."

"Immature?!" Alexander said, hurt. Bastila raised both of her eyebrows, tilted her head slightly and nodded.

"Yeah." Alexander sighed and put a hand to his forehead.

"Look if it means that much to you, I'll…I'll try to work on it." Alexander said honestly, "I promise."

"Thank you." Bastila said and gave him a quick smile. Alexander leaned down close to her, a goofy grin on his face. For a moment Bastila was worried he was going to try to kiss her, but he stopped only a few inches from her face. She gulped and tried to step back but found that she couldn't.

"But Bastila, I want you to know one more thing…" Alexander said smoothly, "Before this quest of ours in over, I'm going to teach you to laugh and you're going to love it." Alexander pulled away, leaving her speechless.

"But first we need to get that stick out of your ass." Alexander grinned, "It's making you all sorts of cranky." Bastila snapped out of her trance and shot him an icy glare.

"I…I don't have a stick..." Bastila saw that he was barely biting back laughter. Well, she wasn't about to let him win. "You know what, no. I'm not going to sink to your bawdy level of humor. You can just get your kicks somewhere else."

"I didn't know you were in to that sort of think." Alexander said, "But hey I don't judge."

"You're impossible." Bastila shot back and walked away. She tried to maintain a pissed off attitude but found it slipping away rapidly. Bastila bit her lip to suppress her smile.

Bastila and Alexander found their friends near the _Ebon Hawk_, making last minute purchases or rechecking supplies. Carth waved at them as he helped Canderous carry a crate of Medpacks on board. Zaalbar was speaking with a merchant, obviously trying to get a better deal on the blast rifles he was trying to sell. Mission was packing something into a box. Bastila caught the scent of some sort of alcoholic beverage and was about to go scold the young Twi'lek when T3-M4 rolled up to Alexander and beeped.

"Hey little guy, everything ready?"

"Beep beep boop."

"Great. Now get those computer spikes on board and power up the engines." The small astro-droid rolled up the ramp and into the ship.

"Do you really understand what he says?" Bastila asked when she was sure the droid was out of ear-shot.

"Kind of." Alexander confessed," I know 'fronze' usually means bad and 'boop' is usually good. I just play it by ear from there." Bastila laughed slightly. Alexander turned, suddenly aware of a third Force sensitive person in the midst. Bastila followed his gaze and saw the young Cathar, Juhani walking gracefully towards them. She carried a medium sized sack over her shoulder and wore a traveler's cloak over her robes.

"Juhani." Alexander greeted, "I heard from the Council that you've asked to come with us?" Juhani smiled slightly and nodded her head.

"You have shown me what it means to truly be a Jedi." Juhani said sincerely, "I do not know what fate has planned for me, but I think following you may help me."

"Don't you have training to finish here?" Bastila asked.

"No." Juhani said simply, "My…temptation by the Dark Side was the last lesson for me to learn." Alexander glanced at Bastila. Their eyes met and she nodded. Juhani misinterpreted the motion and added, "Please, I will help you in any way I can."

Alexander held up a hand and smiled. "Relax Juhani. You're going to come with us, and you know what? We'll be better off because of it. Welcome aboard." Juhani smiled widely and before anyone could stop her, Juhani embraced Alexander in a fierce hug.

"Thank you, Alexander!" She exclaimed and pulled away. Bastila felt something in the pit of her stomach and blinked.

"We're happy to have you." Alexander said with a smile, "But rule number one: You call me Alex." Juhani grinned slightly and nodded her head.

"I will endeavor to do so…Alex." With that Juhani picked up her bag and walked up the entrance ramp into the Ebon Hawk. Bastila looked at Alexander who shrugged.

"Even with the simplest of words, you can make anyone happy." Bastila said thoughtfully.

"It's a gift." Alexander said with a dismissive wave.

"One that everyone is glad for." Alexander looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Believe me, Bastila." He breathed, "I'm _gifted_ in many other ways." Bastila rolled her eyes and punched him lightly in the shoulder. Alexander smiled back and faked a pained expression.

"Hey yo Alex!" Mission called, "Come help me with this." Bastila saw Mission struggling to haul a crate on board. Alexander walked over and used his powers to lift the box off the ground. He slowly guided the crate into the ship and followed it inside. Bastila rolled her eyes.

"_That man…_" She thought. She sensed a familiar and not at all pleasant presence approached her.

"Ah, Princess. Glad I caught you." Canderous said, "I prepared you a room across the hall from Alexander's. Just to make it easier for you two." Bastila shot him an icy glare.

"You're a pig."

"Hey, I'm just trying to help you two out." Canderous said with mock hurt, "I've seen the way you look at him."

"Don't be ridiculous." Bastila fought to maintain her composure, "I trust him, that's all."

"Good" Replied the Mandalorian, "Then you won't mind having a room so close to his." Before she could respond, Canderous walked away looking pleased with himself. Bastila flung her arms into the air and groaned. God how she hated that man! Just then Alexander descended the ramp and noticed the look on her face. He walked up behind her and shook his head.

"Canderous?" He asked, already knowing.

"That man! He just…God, he infuriates me!" Bastila sighed and put a finger on her temple. She froze when she felt Alexander's large hands on her shoulders and almost pulled away as they slowly massaged her.

"Come on." He whispered, his breath sending a shiver down her spine, "There is no emotion…" Bastila breathed in slowly and nodded. She put a hand on his and he stopped. Bastila felt oddly disappointed but dismissed the thought quickly.

"Thanks." She managed.

"Any time." Alexander said as he stepped up to her side. Bastila stood for a moment as she shifted through her thoughts. Why was she suddenly sad when he stopped? She shouldn't have been. This wasn't how Jedi were supposed to feel. Bastila dismissed her emotions quickly. She had to concentrate on the journey ahead of them.

Just then Alexander caught sight of Zaalbar motioning to him. Bastila smiled and nodded for him to go. She watched him strode over to the Wookie and the Twi'Lek merchant. Bastila thought for a moment and walked down the incline towards the inner enclave. She walked past the trees of the Serenity Garden and entered the hall of the Council. Just as she though all four members were talking with each other, no doubt about her and Alexander. They stopped as she approached and studied her intently.

"Master Vandar, I have…questions." Bastila began as she bowed before the shorter of the Council members.

"Bastila, should you not be aboard the _Ebon Hawk_?" Vandar asked, "Were you not to leave this night?"

"We will." Bastila confirmed, "But I have concerns about our mission…"

"You're mission must not fail." Master Zhar put in.

"I guess it's not the mission that concerns me, Master." Bastila said too quickly, "The Mandalorian, Canderous, he keeps telling stories of their war against Revan." The Council stiffened at the mention of the Dark Lord.

"Be careful Bastila." Vandar said, "He must never learn the truth."

"But that's what bothers me!" Bastila exclaimed, "He deserves to know it! He's a good person, and a true servant of the Light."

"Bastila" Master Dorak said, "Never forget that Revan used to be a Jedi. He was a hero before the lure of the Dark Side found him. He m-"

"But to use him this way?!" Bastila cut it, "It's just…wrong. He cares for us, and we're just using him for his power." Dorak laughed bitterly.

"Be honest with yourself." He said sternly, "He doesn't care about _us_. He cares for _you_. He trusts _you_. He will listen to your council. Use that to your advantage." Bastila opened her mouth to counter but saw the cold look in his eyes and stopped.

"Be mindful of your emotions, Bastila. Do not grow too attached to him." Master Zhar ordered. Bastila threw him a glance and nodded. Without any further ceremony, Bastila turned on her heels and marched from the Councils' Chambers.

"Keep him on the right path, Bastila!" Dorak called after her.

"His name is Alexander…" Bastila spat under her breath as she fought to burry her anger. How could they do this to him? How could _she_ do this? And what had Zhar meant? Surely they didn't plan on putting Alexander on trial for his past crimes? The thought was ludicrous. Alexander had proven time and time again that he had effectively turned over a new leaf. He was a new man; a noble, valiant and caring man.

Bastila put her hands in her pockets as she walked through the enclave. Her mind was in turmoil. The Council was pretty clear about what she was supposed to do, but her heart wanted something different. She felt bad about lying to him…pure and simple. Bastila dismissed the emotions quickly. She would have to do as the Council asked, no matter how much she hated it. After all, she was still a Padawan and they were Jedi Masters. Their knowledge of the Force was infinitely superior to hers.

Bastila emerged into the cold air and shivered. The _Ebon Hawk_ was filled with light and she saw Carth in the cockpit, setting a course for Kashyyyk. Alexander stood alone on the ramp, waiting. Bastila stopped at the bottom of the ramp and looked up at him. He smiled at her and extended his hand to her.

"You coming?" Bastila brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and smiled. She nodded and took his hand, allowing him to help her up the ramp and into the warn interior of the _Ebon Hawk_. Thirty seconds later the ship took off, leaving a bright orange contrail as it shot through the atmosphere.

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We are not done yet, not by a long shot!

Read and Review

Until next time…


	2. Kashyyyk Prt I

Hey readers. I know it's been way the hell to long, but my hard-driver fucked up, and if you've ever called Dell tech-support, you'll know they couldn't be less helpful if they tried.

It feels so good to have a working laptop. This is just a short chapter to hold you over until I get the third.

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Bastila was dreaming...

_She was on her back with a cold metal floor beneath her. Even with her eyes closed, blinding light still stung her eyes causing Bastila to raise her hand to block the painful rays. Through an act of will Bastila opened her eyes, forcing them to rapidly adjust to the light. After a handful of seconds she was able to see shapes emerging. At first they were simple blurry geometric shapes of varying sizes but soon Bastila saw them for what they really were. _

_Star-fighters; entire flights of assault crafts and tactical bombers hung from support cranes high above the ground. The first thing Bastila noticed calmed her nerves slightly; each star-fight bore the twin circles of the Galactic Republic on their hulls. But soon her nervousness returned. Bastila had always been smart, and her few friends back at the Jedi Enclave knew her as a no-nonsense bookworm. Her knowledge of Republic craft made her slightly uneasy. These star-ships were out of date. The models were no longer used by the Republic. New technology had made the obsolete. _

_Her uneasiness turned to caution and if she was honest, fear. She had seen such craft used in combat before, but not by forces she would call ally. Only the Sith forces under Revan and Malak used these crafts. Having been near the Galactic Rim before the start of the civil war, Revan's forces had been unable to contact the waiting Republic, much less receive new supplies and weapons. _

_Bastila was pulled from her thoughts by the unmistakable hiss of hydraulics of landing gears engaging and the ground-shaking thump of something heavy landing. Bastila took stock of her surroundings. _

_She was in a small room with one whole wall made of thick glass and beyond Bastila could see a massive hanger. Bastila stood and carefully made her way over to the glass and rested a hand on the black railing at waist level. Below her hundreds of soldiers stood in single file lines in complete battle-armor. Bastila recognized the still steaming form of a Republic Thunderbolt lander on the central landing pad. Suddenly she realized she was on the observation deck of some star-cruiser. Bastila looked around for a door or elevator, something to get out of this room and down to the embarkation deck. _

_Bastila…._

_Bastila spun around at the sound of the voice and gasped. She was no longer on the observation deck. She was in the isle formed by hundreds of soldiers and in front of her loomed the Thunderbolt. Bastila slowly looked to either side and say only the emotionless helmets of hundreds of soldiers. She held her breath as she waited for the uproar her sudden arrival would cause, but none of the soldiers moved. Slowly Bastila began to back away from the Thunderbolt lander. When she was a few feet away she _

_turned to run but a dozen figures stood blocking her way. Bastila stood motionless. Some of the officers were horribly familiar. Chief among the officers was Saul Karath, the traitor Admiral of Revan's forces. His face was cold and emotionless but there a slight fear in his eyes. He wore the uniform of a Republic Admiral and there was an air of pride about him. Behind him Bastila saw the unmistakable face of Carth Onasi. He was younger and was clean-shaven but it was him. He had a broad smile on his face and was obviously excited. Admiral Dodonna was there, but she wore the rank of Lieutenant on her shoulders. She looked calm and composed. Bastila was amazed that no one seemed to notice she was there. _

_Slowly her curiosity got the better of her and she reached out to touch the Admiral. Her hand passed right through him as if he was a hologram. _

_Bastila… _

_The voice was louder this time but she still could place from what direction it had originated from. It sounded like it had come from all directions._

_Admiral Karath and his coterie of officers stiffened as the landing ramp extended and ten robed figures descended through the clearing vapor. There was a moment of silence followed by stifled gasps when it became apparent that these were not just ordinary soldiers, but ten Jedi Knights in full formal robes. _

_The lead Jedi removed his hood and Bastila felt her blood run cold. Malak looked at each of the officers in turn, taking what looked like satisfaction from the slightly worried looks on their faces. Bastila took a step back. Malak was younger and he still had his lower jaw. His head was completely bald, shaven and oiled to be perfectly smooth. _

"_I am-" He began._

"_I know who you are, Master Jedi." Admiral Karath said, bowing deeply and trembling slightly. Bastila didn't blame him. Even before his fall to the Dark Side Malak was known as a harsh Jedi who was quick to point out any and all mistakes he saw. "I welcome you and-"_

"_Hush Admiral," Malak said, "We're not there yet." There was a sudden look of annoyance in Malaks eyes as he took his place in the honor guard of Jedi Knights. There was a single heavy footstep at the top of the landing ramp as another figure emerged into the light of the hanger. _

_If Malak's presence had caused Bastila to be afraid, then this new comer took her to a level she had never been at before. It was him…_

_Revan walked slowly down the ramp, clad in a marvelous suit of silver plate, similar in design to the armor of the solders around him. He wore a cape of deep crimson over his shoulders and at his waist Bastila saw the jewel studded scabbard of a vibro blade. His very presence was enough to inspire total and unreserved attention and he was, quite calculatedly, doing the one thing that made him even more stunning. He was smiling. Under any other circumstance his smile would send a faint warm feeling through her, but at this moment it was the most horrifying thing she could imagine. _

_Everyone apart from the ten Jedi and Admiral Karath dropped to their knees. Revan stopped before the Admiral and waited. Admiral Karath stood before him, his eyes wide and his mouth opening and closing wordlessly, like a beached fish. _

"_Admiral, show some respect." Dodonna hissed and tugged at his pants. Karath couldn't. Bastila doubted the Admiral could remember his own name at that moment. During the Mandelorian War, Revan had been a hero of unsurpassed skill and charisma. _

"_Sir, will you not bow?" Revan inquired._

_When Karath replied, his voice was a tiny embryonic thing, "I…I can't remember how."_

_Then Revan showed his legendary, limitless genius of leadership. Revan drew the sword at his side and, holding it blade down, dropped to one knee before Admiral Karath. The ten Jedi followed Revan's example and kneeled. _

"_Permission to come aboard your flagship Admiral?"Revan asked loud enough for everyone to hear. Admiral Karath smiled shyly and already his natural color was returning and he looked calmer._

"_Granted Master Jedi." Karath said. Revan stood and sheathed his sword. At a gesture, the Jedi removed their hoods and stood. Revan looked around at the soldiers who were still kneeling._

"_Rise, please. Please. Get to your feet. A cheer or round of applause will do me, not this futile groveling." The soldiers rose, applauding and cheering. Just like that, Bastila realized, he'd won them over. They were his now, forever. It was taking an effort of will not to cheer with them. At this moment Revan was literally the most charming man she had ever seen. Bastila fought back her feelings but she wondered if she would have followed Revan had she been stationed under him. Bastila didn't dwell on this for too long for she feared the answer. _

_Karath held up a hand and the cheering died down slowly. _

"_Master Revan, please forgive me." Karath said, "I wasn't expecting you. Had I known-"_

"_No, forgive me Saul…may I call you Saul? Admiral is so stiff. Forgive me for not informing you I was coming in person. I detest pomp and ceremony and if you'd known I was coming, you'd have gone to unnecessary lengths. Soldiers in dress regs, ceremonial bands, bunting. I particularly despise bunting." Karath and several of his officers laughed._

"_You are quiet right there Master Revan. It is not every day that the hero of the Republic visits my ship." Karath said, "We are honored indeed. But might I ask, what brings you here? I had heard reports that the Jedi Council ordered you to return to Coruscant."_

_Bastila…_

_Something pulled at the back of Bastila's shirt. She was lifted off the ground by some unknown force and slowly was pulled away from the gather. Bastila felt like she was encased in molasses as she tried desperately to stay. Darkness slowly began to fill the corners of her vision. _

"_Indeed they did Admiral" Revan said, "But I have come in to possession of knowledge that is more important than the Council's orders." Karath looked shocked by this revelation._

"_Master, what could be more important than-"_

"_Perhaps it is best if we discuss these matters in private?" Dodonna interrupted. Karath looked back at her and sighed._

"_Quiet right, Lieutenant." Karath said as Dodonna stepped forward, "Master Revan allow me to introduce Forn Dodonna, my first officer. Well for now at least. Way she is, she's going to get a star-cruiser of her own soon." Revan smiled and took Dodonna's hand._

"_It's an honor, First-Officer Forn Dodonna." Revan said and Dodonna nodded her head in gratitude. She was being dismissive, but Bastila could tell it was to cover up her attraction to Revan._

_Revan greeted the other offices one at a time, sharing jokes with most of them. When he was finished, he turned to Admiral Karath._

_Bastila screamed as she was torn away from her vision. There were so many unanswered questions. Darkness filled her vision but she still heard Revan's voice as if he was next to her._

"_Come." Revan said, "We have things to discuss, you and I. None of them pleasant." _

Bastila's eyes snapped open. Mission's young blue face looked down at her, a look of annoyance painted across her features.

"W…what?" Bastila asked groggily. She blinked away the last bits of sleep and slowly sat up.

"We've been calling for like ten minutes. We're on Kashyyyk. Juhani made breakfast. You better hurry before Alex eats all of it." Mission said with a grin.

"Alex…" The name escaped Bastila's lips before she could stop it.

"Hey, you okay?" Mission asked and put a hand on her shoulder, "You look like hell." Bastila shook her head and smiled.

"Sorry," She said, "I'm just not a morning person."

"Feh, you should have seen Alex earlier." Mission said trying not to laugh, "He looked like he woke up next to a bantha." Bastila laughed slightly and Mission left her to get ready. Bastila was still laughing lightly as she got out of her bed. She could only imagine how Alex looked after…

Suddenly all the humor left Bastila and a single dreadful thought filled her mind. Had Alexander had the same dream she did? They had always shared dreams through their bond. Did he know? Was the Dark Lord of the Sith waiting for her in the next room?

Bastila quickly changed into her robes and snapped a Mandalorian combat shield to her wrist. Carefully she took her lightsaber from its spot on the table next to her bed. She studied the sleek silver cylinder and traced her finger around the ignition stud. Taking a deep breath Bastila snapped the lightsaber to her belt and stepped out into the hallway.

The air brought the mouth-watering aroma of hot food to her nose. Bastila's stomach grumbled and she set off for the kitchen. Just as she reached the door Bastila heard a mumbled voice and then a bark of laughter. She sensed the mood of the crew was nothing sort of happiness. Even Alexander seemed happy. Bastila breathed a sigh of relief and slowly opened the door.

Alexander sat at the table with Carth, Mission and Canderous. Juhani was at the kitchen counter next to a pot. Whatever it was it made Bastila stomach grumbled. Alexander was the first to notice Bastila and smiled at her.

Juhani walked up to her and handed her a bowl of stew. Bastila took a sniff of the mouth watering bowl and walked over to the other.

"I would ask if you've had enough beauty sleep, but it seems to have failed." Alexander said with a grin.

"Har har." Bastila said dryly, "You don't look the picture of health yourself."

"I had a dream." Alexander said with a distant look in his eyes. Bastila looked up from her breakfast and stared hard at him.

"What about?" Bastila asked. Without thinking her hand slid to the lightsaber at her hip.

"The starmap." He said like it was the clearest thing in the world, "Didn't you have it?"

"Y…yes yes." Bastila said quickly, "What did you think of it?"

"Well it looked like the star map was on the floor beneath the forest." Alexander said and spooned more stew into his mouth. Bastila looked back at her stew, suddenly losing her appetite. A hand landed on her shoulder and she looked over at a concerned Alexander.

"Hey you okay?' He whispered. Bastila took his hand in hers.

"I…I think so." She said eventually, "I didn't sleep well." Alexander moved his hand to Bastila's face.

"Is that all?" Alexander asked. Bastila reached out and put a hand on his face. The stubble on his face prickled her finger.

"I'll be fine Alex." She promised. Alexander held her gaze for a moment and nodded.

"By the Gods, get a room you two." Canderous groaned as he glanced between the two Jedi. Alexander snapped back and threw Canderous a glare.

"Do you have to ruin everything?" Alexander asked annoyed.

"Must you?" Canderous countered, "I'm trying to enjoy Catharian stew and you two are lost in each other's eyes." Suddenly Canderous's bowl rose from the table and spilled all over his pants. The Mandalorian yelped and stood quickly.

"Canderous, I knew you liked my cooking, but please." Juhani said with a slight grin. Alexander laughed and put his hand under the table. Bastila slapped it and failed to suppress her laughter. Canderous shook his head and stormed out of the kitchen. Carth was having problems controlling his laughing while Mission was groaning she hadn't caught the whole scene on a recorder.

As the laughter died down and Carth and Mission went into another argument, Bastila sighed sadly. She mentally kicked herself for such a childish use of the Force. What had she been thinking? She was better than that. And her moment with Alexander? This wasn't how Jedi were supposed to act.

Bastila excused herself from the table and quickly left the kitchen. She needed to meditate to clear her mind.

"Bastila?"A voice asked behind her. Before she even turned, Bastila knew who it was. She knew she shouldn't turn around. She should just keep walking and lock herself in her room until it was time search for the starmap, but her body seemed to act on its own. Slowly Bastila turned around but couldn't bring herself to look at the young Jedi before her.

"I…I…I'm sorry." She managed, gazing intently at the floor. Alexander took a step towards her but she backed away.

"Whoa, Bastila, what's wrong?" Alexander asked, "What are you sorry for?"

"At breakfast." Bastila, "What I did was wrong."

"Hey come on, Canderous was being an ass." Alexander shrugged, "I would have if you didn't."

"No, not that." Bastila, "Before, when we had that…moment. I'm sorry, but we shouldn't do that again."

"Why?" Alexander asked, "What's wrong with offering comfort to someone who needs it?"

"I…it's not that." Bastila sighed, "We should always strive to help others, but I'm talking about you and I. I don't know why that…moment happened, but its best that it not happen again."

"So, you're saying I'm not allowed to check on you? That I shouldn't care about your well-being?" Alexander said and took a step towards her. Bastila was frozen in place by the soft look in his eyes. His eyes were so blue they could rival the oceans of Dantooine. Alexander put a hand on her cheek and smiled slightly. Bastila felt warm just being near him.

"I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable, but I really do care about you." Alexander whispered.

"I know." Bastila said, "And I care about you. But, I just don't think it's appropriate..." Bastila pushed herself passed Alexander and quickly entered her room.

As Bastila closed the door behind her she heard Alexander sigh and walk away. Bastila put a hand on her chest and tried to calm her heart. What was wrong with her? Bastila knelt down and slowly began to recite a meditation prayer taught to her.

Her mind began to clear and she could think clearly again. Bastila pushed aside all her emotions for Alexander to a far corner of her mind. She could deal with them later if she had to. Slowly Bastila began to enter a trance and time slipped away from her…

Reality came crashing back in the form of loud pounding on Bastila's door. The young Jedi sighed and put a hand to her temple. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the dim light in her room before she stood and pressed a button on the small control panel next to her door. Bastila wasn't surprised or happy to see Alexander's handsome features waiting for her.

"What is it?" Bastila asked, a little more coldly than she wanted.

"Um, its time to go." Alexander said cautiously, fully aware of his companion's mood, "Just wanted to let you know."

"Why didn't you tell me before I left breakfast?" Bastila asked, annoyed, "I was just staring to meditate."

"Bastila, you've been in your room for two hours." Alexander said matter-of-factly. Bastila's brow furrowed but she accepted his words as the truth.

"Fine, let's go." Bastila said and brushed passed him, "Who's coming with us?"

"Zaalbar." Alexander said, "It's his home planet. His knowledge could be invaluable." Bastila nodded; it was the best choice. The two Jedi found their Wookiee companion waiting by the racing speeder. As they approached Zaalbar looked up from his thoughts and nodded at them. The Wookiee scout hefted his crossbow blaster with on hand and hit the switch to open the landing ramp.

"You ready?" Alexander whispered in Bastila's ear. She shot him a stern look and looked away before answering.

"I am a Jedi." She said defensively, "We are always ready."

"Fine." Alexander sighed, "I was just trying to be nice."

"Well don't." Bastila spat, "I don't need you looking over me. I can handle myself."

"I remember that." Alexander said coldly and followed Zaalbar down the ramp. Bastila watched him descend and regretted being so cold. The fact she felt sorry at all infuriated her. She just wasn't use to these emotions. Bastila sighed sadly and descended the ramp. It was going to be a long journey.

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There you go a short little chapter. Have fun

Until Next Time….


	3. Kashyyyk Prt II

The air of Kashyyyk was humid and a slight tingle went across Bastila's face, as if she had just stepped through a cobweb. She waved a hand in front of her face and took her first look around. They were on a docking pad high up in the trees. How any tree could be strong enough to support a fully supplied starship, let alone a docking pad was beyond her. There were dock workers hurrying around, completing seemingly meaningless tasks. A small protocol droid rolled passed, completely indifferent to the three new comers suddenly in its path.

Brief rays of sunlight shown through the forest canopy and the shadows of leaves swayed gently in the wind. The shade was refreshing; without it Bastila could imagine Kashyyyk would be stiflingly hot. Bastila took a quick second to study the forest. The trees were huge, monstrous even. She doubted that any planet in the Galaxy could boast trees of such size. They were hundreds of meters tall, and she doubted that even the plasma cannons on the Ebon Hawk could not blast through one they were so thick. A small flock of birds flew overhead. The sun caught their wings and they turned a deep blue. Bastila closed her eyes and filtered out the sounds of the spaceport and the whispered conversation Alexander was having with Zaalbar. The sounds of the modern world faded away and all that remained was nature. She heard a primate of some sort call out, and a flock of birds seemed to reply. There was a constant chirping of insects and a dull buzz as something flew passed her head. In the distance she could hear water rushing and what sounded like the soft splashing of amphibians. In that one moment Bastila felt an inner peace she had rarely experience in her life.

Taking notice of his companion's sudden change in mood, Alexander turned to face her with a curious look. Bastila opened her eyes and stared back. A sort of understanding passed through their eyes and Alexander nodded slowly and smiled gently. Bastila knew she wanted to smile back, to be something more than just cold but her Jedi training took over. She drew comfort from their surroundings, not from Alexander himself. After it became clear she would not be smiling back, Alexander turned back to Zaalbar.

"Sorry big guy, but can you repeat that? I lost myself for a second" He said as way of an apology. Zaalbar sighed and grunted something.

"Hey whoa, I didn't mean to say you were boring" Alexander said defensively, "I was just distracted by this beautiful sight. I know this is your planet, but look at this!" He motioned to the trees and the sunlight bleeding through the leaves. Bastila could see that the beauty of Kashyyyk was not lost to her companion. _Perhaps…just maybe…he was not so immature…_

Zaalbar looked up and his brown eyes seemed to glass over. He raised a paw and let the sunlight warm the hair of his knuckles. Bastila could sense warring emotions in the Wookie. There was a sense of relief and joy, no doubt from finally setting foot back on his home world. But there was trepidation there too. A sense of unease and caution that seemed wholly out of place.

"Psst hey." Alexander said in a low voice to her.

"Hm?"

"Zaalbar has been telling me that his people are enslaved. They are servants to the Czerka Corporation." Alexander told her and Bastila could hear the anger in his voice. "The conditions the Wookies are kept in are gruesome. There is a lot of tension between the Wookies and any off worlder, Jedi or otherwise." Bastila nodded her understanding and all the peace she had felt seconds ago faded in an instant. Even a paradise world like Kashyyyk was not safe from the corrupting arm of politics and greed.

"Greeting and ermm…welcome to planet G5-623." An Ithorian official said as he approached. He was wearing the blue of a Czerka Corporation dock-manager.

"Um hi?" Alexander said awkwardly.

"I welcome you to planet G5-623, but I must confess I am a little confused. I do not see your ship on my landing schedule. The Czerka Corporation will gladly accommodate you, but I am afraid there is a one hundred credit service fee. In advance, I fear." The Ithorian grunted.

"G5-632? I thought this planet was Kashyyyk?" Alexander asked. He stole a look to Bastila, who just shrugged, as confused as he was.

"That is what the…the dominate indigenous species calls it." The Ithorian said, eyeing Zaalbar carefully, "But maintaining this out post allows Czerka Corporation certain…naming rights in the trade guides. Now I am sorry, but I really must insist on that fee before I provide any more services. I must follow protocol, you see." Alexander nodded and reached for a pouch on his belt. For a second he stopped and Bastila knew he was entertaining the idea of not paying the fee. A look of amusement flashed across his eyes and sent a chill down Bastila's spine. _It always starts with the smallest steps…_

She did not want to actually communicate her opinion to him. He needed to be able to make the right decision on his own. Sure the fee could be unjust and it was a corrupt corporation asking for it, but the Ithorian was just doing his job, however distasteful. And the Force should never be used for such trivial things as saving a few credits. Bastila willed that Alexander would come to the same conclusion. In a second he did and handed over a credit pad. The Ithorian took the device and swiped a card before entering in a few numbers.

"Thank you Mr. Stargaze. I welcome you to Edean, or G5-623. I extend the resources of the Czerka Corporation to you and we welcome your business. We can discuss your business here later at my office." The Ithorian motioned to Zaalbar, "I see you have a Wookie with you. If you like, the Czerka Corporation can provide you with a translator if you do not under their…_language_. For a fee, of course."

"That will not be necessary." Alexander said with a shake of his head, "I can understand the Wookie language just fine."

"Very well." The Ithorian replied, "Now if you will follow me to my office we can discuss things of another nature." The Ithorian turned on his heel and strode away. Alexander sighed and put a hand to his head.

"I can already tell this is not going to be the best of experiences. Eh, big guy?" Alexander said and playfully punched Zaalbar on the arm. The Wookie's dark mood seemed to lighten slightly and he nodded but was soon lost in his thoughts. Alexander turned to Bastila and the playful grin fell from his face.

"You wanted to talk to me about something?" He asked. Bastila blinked and realized she had been staring at him. She shook her head clean and nodded.

"I do. I've been watching you carefully, studying any progress you've made since your training at the hands of Master Zhar." She said quickly.

"I think we both know the real reason you are studying me." Alexander said with a smirk. Bastila sighed.

"You never give up, do you? I admit I am interested in you. I find you intriguing, fascinating even. But it is not what you think. Any romantic feelings I have for you are kept under control." Her eyes widened and Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Not that I have any you understand. I just…you have an awesome mastery of the Force. You go beyond a Jedi Master in some respects. But I shudder to think how you might misuse such a gift."

"I would never misuse my powers Bastila." Alexander said, somewhat hurt by her assumptions.

"You have resisted temptations this far." Bastila said with a nod, "But I am afraid you will stray from the path of the Light. You need to see what the Dark Side holds. It is more than just giving in to power or temptation. It is the thing that all Jedi must battle against every day. The Sith are powerful now because so many Jedi have fallen to the Dark Side and I am not convinced they all fell with malice in their hearts."

"Some may have been doing what they thought was right." Alexander said with understanding.

"Yes exactly." Bastila nodded, "That is the insidious nature of the Dark Side. Once it gets inside you, once you stop resisting, it will twist you into a mockery of what you once were. That is why the Sith are so powerful; because they can take Jedi from us." Bastila gulped deeply and hoped he could not sense her nervousness, "What better weapon than to use your enemy's knowledge against them? To turn their strengths into their weaknesses?" The words were like ash in her mouth. They were not hers, and they never will be. They had been told to her by the Jedi Council and had haunted her thoughts for days now. Bastila looked into Alexander's blue eyes and sighed inwardly.

"But we must harden our hearts if we are to defeat the Sith. They are strengthened with every Jedi that falls." Bastila felt a cold pit in her stomach. Now she was just repeating what Master Dorak had told her verbatim.

"Victory no matter the costs?" Alexander asked and there was a note of doubt in his voice.

"I don't know." Bastila said, "Words alone will not save us from the Dark Side. I do not know what sacrifices will be made to defeat Malak."

"Even if those sacrifices go against the Jedi Code?" Alexander asked darkly, "How far is too far, Bastila? If its victory at any price, then how are we better than the Sith?"

"Just look at the atrocities committed in the name of the Dark Side!" Bastila retorted, "Millions dead and countless words left to suffer. We must defeat Malak, not matter what." Alexander looked at her with cold disapproving eyes.

"No matter what." He repeated emptily, "No matter how far we fall, as long as the Jedi win, it's still ok?"

"What are you suggesting?" Bastila asked warily. The conversation was rapidly getting out of her control.

"Would you condemn a hundred innocent lives if it meant the Sith fail?" He asked and continued before she could speak, "What about a thousand? A million? Two?" Bastila was speechless.

"Where do we draw the line?" Alexander asked, "At what point does it become too much? What if it was just one innocent, just one guy you never met? Would it still be victory at that price? Could we still claim the moral high-ground?"

"Alexander, what are you trying to say?" Bastila asked.

"That I will not pay any price for victory." He said slowly, "there are some sacrifices that should not be made. We will forever lose ourselves. I will not sacrifice everything for victory, because what will be left of us? Who will be left when the war is over?"

"If you are trying to act noble for some misguided come on, then-"

"Bastila, I'm not trying to impress you." He grinned, "Not right now anyway. I am being serious. There are some…things I cannot afford to lose." Bastila was sure he was going to say people, but choose not to press the issue. He put a hand on her shoulder. Every nerve in her body told her to back away, but she remained motionless.

"We will beat Malak and we will do so without losing everything. Trust me." Bastila nodded slowly but before she could respond Alexander motioned to the pathway. Bastila wanted so badly to tell him how much she agreed with him. She didn't want him to think poorly of her.

"Come on, we have business to attend to." He slapped Zaalbar on the arm, reviving the Wookie from his thoughts, "Let's get going." Alexander and Zaalbar began to walk, but Bastila stayed still for a quick second. She could still feel the warmth of his hand on her shoulder and leaned her head to rest against were his hand had been.

"I do trust you Alexander." She whispered, "I do trust you." Bastila sighed and quickly caught up to her companions.

"Bastila, wait!" A voice called behind her. Bastila turned and was surprised to see Juhani jogging to catch up with her. It was obvious from the gear belt she wore and the lightsaber that hung at her waist what she wanted.

"Juhani, I thought you had elected to stay aboard." Bastila asked, "You needed…time…" She was still uncomfortable with Juhani. She had fallen to the Dark Side. Although Alexander had saved her, it was all Bastila could do to look after him. She didn't need Juhani tagging along and feeling sorry for herself.

Bastila blinked; was she really thinking such thoughts? Juhani was a Jedi and had the full backing of the Council. That should be enough for her.

"Ja', I did. But I have had a…a change of heart." Juhani said carefully, "I believe keeping my mind busy and getting some fresh air will do me good." Before Bastila could respond, Alexander walked up with a smile.

"Juhani! It's good to see you." He said and Bastila noticed the smile on Juhani face, "Are you going to come with us after all?"

"Ja' I will." Juhani said and quickly added, "If I am still welcome."

"You are more than welcome to come with us Juhani." Bastila said gracefully, "An extra pair of eyes and ears is exactly what we need right now."

"And another lightsaber, if things get _hairy_." Alexander said with a smirk. Bastila almost flinched as his joke. Juhani grinned but did not laugh. Satisfied with himself, Alexander nodded one last time to both Jedi and ran to catch up to Zaalbar. The Wookie was worried, and Alexander could sense it.

"Is he always like this?" Juhani asked quietly as she and Bastila walked to catch up to the Wookie and young Jedi.

"What do you mean?" Bastila asked.

"He is so…carefree? Perhaps that is not the right word…"Juhani thought for a quick second, "So amusing?"

"Amusing?" Bastila asked with an incredulous look.

"I…that is not what I meant." Juhani said quickly, "Charismatic. He is very charismatic." Bastila knew what Juhani meant, and there was an understood subtext to her words. Juhani would never ask such a question and Bastila would berate her if she did, but it was obvious Juhani thought Alexander was charming. And who could blame her? Bastila had thought that for a while now, since Taris almost.

"He can be very…intriguing." Bastila admitted, "To be honest I find him to be very immature sometime. He can also be infuriating with his cheap flirts and flattery."

"He called me beautiful." Juhani said shyly, "Did you know that?" Bastila shot her a look and looked over at Alexander who was talking with Zaalbar.

"No." Bastila said coldly, "He failed to mention that."

"When we first met. When I was…in the grove." Juhani seemed to ignore Bastila's remark. Bastila turned her attention back to the Cathar. If Juhani choose to talk about her experience with the Dark Side, then maybe Bastila could learn more about what could be done to prevent either Juhani or Alexander from succumbing.

"I disabled Alexander's companions, the Mandelorian and Carth." Juhani said, "I have apologized to Carth but the Mandelorian would not hear of it. He said it was combat, and we must do what it takes to win."

"That sounds like something that war-monger would say." Bastila agreed.

"I fought Alexand-I mean Alex." Juhani said, lost in her memory, "He was so graceful, so poised. Ever blade swing, ever parry was perfect. I thought myself invincible but he showed me what it meant to be a swordsmen. I was convinced the Council had sent a Master to execute me. He bested me. I was at his mercy. And he spared my life." Bastila nodded. There didn't seem to be anything for her to say. Juhani was, at least for the moment, content to do all the talking. Bastila knew that it was healthy.

"He told me that I would be welcome back to the Order." Juhani blushed slightly, "He said I was a beautiful young woman with great talent and that I deserved to be happy. He dropped his lightsaber and offered me his hand. I could have killed him." Juhani looked at Bastila and she saw such regret in the Cathar's eyes.

"But you stayed strong Juhani." Bastila told her and the Cathar smiled weakly, "You choose to stand for good and not evil."

"I only wish to live up to the trust he placed in me." Juhani asked, "He is such a respectable man."

"Admiration is a dangerous emotion Juhani." Bastila warned. She was well aware of what Juhani was feeling, because if Bastila was honest, she felt it too.

"I cannot help myself." Juhani said quietly, "He is…but please, no more of this. You and I shall talk about this again, I am sure. But for now let us make ourselves useful, and not gossip."

"We were not…gossiping." Bastila stammered, "We were having a meaningful conversation about-"

"Hey! Stop gossiping you two!" Alexander called out to them, "We have work to do." He motioned for them to catch up. Bastila glanced one last time at Juhani. It was ridiculous, what she was feeling. They were all Jedi here. Such…attractions were dangerous.

The four companions walked in silence for awhile. Alexander noticed a dark mood coming from both Zaalbar and Bastila. Only Juhani seemed friendly, but her mood was still dark. Zaalbar he could understand. The Wookie had chosen to tell Alexander of his banishment at the hands of his brother. Of being called a madclaw. Alexander was not an expert on Wookie social structure, but he knew enough that things were going to get difficult later on.

They entered the Czerka head office. The Ithorian was waiting for them behind his desk. From the look in his eyes it was clear he did not like to be kept waiting.

"Hello again." The Ithorian said, "now that you have finally arrived we can discuss business."

"Business?" Alexander inquired. The Ithorian nodded to Zaalbar.

"You already know the benefits of having one of these creatures as a slave, I can only assume you want to purchase a few more. I do have a few in stock shall we say?" The Ithorian said, shocking the Wookie and three Jedi, "Now as far as price goes, I would be willing to sell you-"

"I am not here to buy slaves!" Alexander said angrily. Zaalbar growled something and fought the urge to kill the Ithorian.

"You let your beast speak?" the Ithorian asked, "Why would you-"

"Zaalbar is not a beast and his is not my slave." Alexander replied, "He is my loyal companion and friend. He owes me a life debt."

"A life debt? I will give you credit, that is hard to stage." The Ithorian replied, "Still buying one is so much easier." Zaalbar growled angrily. Alexander put a hand on his arm and said something quietly to him.

"You would dare sell these noble Wookies as if they are no more than cattle?" Juhani sneered; her yellow eyes alight with anger, "What gives you the right to do such a thing?" Juhani advanced a single step towards the Ithorian but Alexander stopped her. With a stern look eyes he shook his head and Juhani backed down.

"Forgive my companion." Bastila said quickly to ease the tension, "I believe we were all under the impression the Republic did not allow slavery." A look from Juhani told her she had meant no such thing, but the Cathar kept her mouth shut.

"We have a certain…understanding with Republic Officals." The Ithorian replied, "Besides we have an agreement with one of the Wookie chieftains. Zaalbar suddenly calmed down and an air of caution filled him.

"How is that legal?" Alexander asked.

"I am sorry, I am not allowed to supply you with that information." The Ithorian replied.

"Then I am done speaking with you." Alexander spat and stormed away. Bastila, Juhani and Zaalbar followed him.

"We cannot allow these…these criminals to get away with this!" Juhani said at last.

"You!" Bastila snapped, pointing at her, "You almost lost control in there. What was that all about? Where was your Jedi reserve?"

"Hey Bastila, no need to be rude." Alexander said, "The Czerka Corporation is running an illegal operation. I feel the same as Juhani. We cannot allow this slavery to go on."

"Rooar gmaarr?" Zaalbar asked, looking hopefully at Alexander.

"Yes Zaalbar. You have my word this will end." Alexander said solemnly.

"That is no excuse." Bastila said still angry at Juhani, "I think that-" Alexander put a hand on her shoulder.

"Bastila, just let it go right now." Alexander soothed, "And Juhani? Be a little more careful. You can be…fiery."

"I…you are right Alex." Juhani nodded, "I was out of line. I just….slavery is a horrible thing."

"Hey no need to make excuse to me." Alexander smiled, "I'm here to help, remember?" Juhani met the young Jedi's eyes and was lost for a second. Her golden yellow eyes looked deeply into his crystal blue ones. Juhani smiled slightly and nodded.

Bastila cleared her throat loudly. "Shall we continue then? We are not closer to finding the Star Map."

Alexander nodded and they made their way over to the end of the Czerka outpost. Bastila was surprised that a single wooden door was all the Czerka Corporation seemed to be using to keep the jungle out. A group of angry looking Czerka officers guarded the doors. They stared angrily at the three Jedi and their Wookie companion as they walked by in silence.

Bastila found herself on another large wooden platform. The entire civilization seemed to be built around the trees. Bastila walked next to Alexander in silence. She was comforted by his presence. They continued to follow the path for twenty minutes before they rounded a corner and stopped dead.

They were on a small ramp, looking down at a group of almost thirty Czerka troopers and one very angry officer. The troopers were standing around the body of a Wookie and she could sense a mixture of nervousness and blood-lust coming from them. With a start she realized what had happened. They had shot the Wookie! Alexander came to the same conclusion and stormed down the path towards them.

"What happened here?" he asked angrily. The Czerka officer and the soldiers around him all looked over at the young Jedi. Bastila could sense the unease in the soldiers and noticed several clutching their blaster rifles closer. The officer nodded down towards the dead Wookie.

"This beast was getting too rebellious. We had to put him down." The officer replied calmly.

"Graaar! Snar!" Zaalber roared, his eyes burning with anger. The soldiers jumped back a bit, and several raised their rifles.

"Calm down Zaalbar, let me handle this." Alexander replied.

"Gerrar roar?" The Wookie replied.

"I know but I'm asking you to let me handle this. Please honor my request." Alexander turned back towards the officer and smiled, "Sorry about that."

'You shouldn't let that beast off its leash. It will kill you in an instant." The officer said.

"He is not a beast." Alexander replied, "And I don't think your superiors approve of you killing Wookies."

"Of course not, but how would you know that?" The officer asked, "Are you some sort of spook? Sent down here to see if I'm incompetent? Well I can tell you that I, Officer Duhan, am the best damn soldier on this planet!" Bastila could sense the tension of the soldiers rising. Even the officer seemed to be getting more nervous.

"Look, this place is a bad posting. Just get out of here while you can." Alexander said calmly.

"Who do you think you are? Walking around like you own the place, demanding this and that? You don't seem to know what planet you're on. " The officer walked up to Alexander and was face to face with him.

"I am in charge of this patrol, and I say that this damned Wookie was acting up." The officer spat, "I have the power of life or death over these beasts. And if you're not careful something might just happen to you. So many off-worlders fall victim to sudden accident out here."

"Is that so?" Alexander asked his tone suddenly dark. Bastila could sense his sudden change in mood. It was dark and angry. "I do not think you want to do that. You may have noticed the Jedi I have with me." Alexander motioned to both Juhani and Bastila, who wore the traditional Jedi robes. Alexander wore a suit of camo-green combat armor because he found the robes to weak and flimsy. Bastila had argued with him for over an hour that he should dawn the robes, but neither had given an inch. The officer seemed to suddenly notice the two Jedi and a strange look passed across his face.

"I am so sorry." He said and walked over to his men and put a hand on the shoulder of one, "Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot."

"Fine fine." Alexander said peacefully.

"Then again," the officer smiled, "Accidents do happen."

"What makes -" A laser blast took Alexander square in the chest, knocking him off his feet. One of the soldiers held a smoking carbine in his arms and aimed the next shot at Zaalbar. Time seemed to slow down for Bastila as she watched Alexander fall, a smoking hole in his battle plate. It seemed impossible that he was dead. _No…no...NO!_

Bastila and Juhani leapt into action as Zaalbar fell to a knee and raised his bowcaster. He fired a las beam into the troopers. Juhani leapt into the air with a snarl of rage and landed behind the trooper who shot Alexander. With a flick of her blue lightsaber she took the man's head from his shoulder. Bastila ducked under a hail of las fire and activated her double-edged lightsaber. She was livid. She didn't know if Alexander was alive or dead, but every ounce of her body screamed for battle. It felt right, it felt pure. These men were monsters. They deserved this.

Bastila ducked under the clumsy swing of a soldier who used his gun as a club. She spun her lightsaber above her head, slicing three men in half at the waist. Another raised his carbine but Bastila hurled him off the edge of the path with a Force push, and cut the legs out from a fifth. She briefly looked for the officer but could not see him in the melee.

Juhani waded into the troopers like a vengeful angel, her every sword swing severing a limb from a body. Juhani blasted the mind from one trooper who was attempting to bring his bulky blaster cannon to bear. A blow suddenly took her in the side of the head and Juhani was sent staggering. A second trooper slammed the butt of his gun into her chest, causing her to double over in pain. He was about to put a las round between her eyes when a bright beam of red took him in the side of the head. The trooper crumbled to the floor, the upper portion of his head a smoking bloody crater. Juhani glanced over and saw Alexander staggering to his feet. One hand was held tightly against his chest while in the other he carried his trusty heavy blaster pistol. Alexander aimed again and fired, putting another trooper down. Zaalbar quickly moved to support him, and fired his bowcaster one handed while he supported Alexander.

Juhani leapt back into the fray and landed a kick to the face of a Czerka trooper. Bastila was at her side, slicing her way through the troopers. She stole a quick glance at the Cathar She was suddenly relieved that Juhani had come with them. The Catharians were known for their fierce battle prowess. Juhani gripped a trooper with her force power and slammed him against a tree, breaking his back with a sickening crunch.

Bastila soon found herself face to face with the Czerka officer. The man raised his pistol and fired. Bastila dodged out of the way, but the laser beam burned her cheek as it flew passed her. Bastila swung her lightsaber around and cut the officer's hand from his arm. The officer yelled in pain for a brief second before Juhani's lightsaber pierced his back, silencing him forever. Bastila and Juhani were left gasping for breath and sweat dripped from their brows. All around them the bodies of the Czerka troopers lay like scattered leaves. There were so many dead Bastila found it hard to believe so many could be cruel. Juhani glanced at Bastila and gave her a teeth filled smile. Bastila could tell the Cathar's blood was up. Before Bastila could say anything, a look of concern crossed Juhani's face and she hurried over to Zaalbar and Alexander.

"Alex, are you injured?" She asked quickly, "I brought an extra medkit if you need it." Alexander held up a hand and winced slightly.

"It's not too bad." He knocked his chest plate, "the armor took most of the blast." He looked over at Bastila who looked relieved beyond words. "I told you armor was better than robes. I would be dead if I wore those things."

"No." Bastila said with a smile, "You would have been able to dodge out of the way if you wore the robes of the Order." She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"Keep dreaming." Alexander looked at Juhani and nodded towards Bastila, "She just wants to see me undress." Alexander grinned at the flushed Bastila. Juhani smiled.

"You…you are unbelievable" Bastila stammered, "How…how dare you…you imply that…that I would…"

"Come on you set me up for it." He said with a boyish grin. Bastila shook her head and couldn't help but smile back.

"I am glad you are unharmed." Juhani said after a moment.

"Me too." Alexander replied, "Now let's check if these bastards were carrying anything worth taking." Bastila opened her mouth to speak but Alexander held up a hand, "They're dead. They won't be needing any credits now. Or pass-cards let's hope. Zaalbar, see if you can scrounge some ammo packs." Juhani and Zaalbar began to shift through the dead, taking what they needed.

Bastila stayed close to Alexander and put a hand on his shoulder. She could see the pain he was in simply by the look in his eyes.

"You are hurt." She said simply. Even without their Force bond it was obvious. With it, Bastila could feel the sympathetic pain of the laser blast. It was incredible Alexander was not crying out.

"It is nothing." Alexander said with a wave, "Nothing a can of synthetic flesh can't cure." Bastila shook her head and looked deep into his eyes.

"You're lying." She said, "The blast was much closer than you would have us believe." She put a hand on his chest, just over his wound.

"Bastila, really I-"

"Hush Alex." She said softly, "Let me help you. You are always so eager to care for others but you must not forget to care for yourself." Bastila channeled her Force powers through her hand and a soft white glow formed around her head. There was a drop in temperature and Alexander felt a rush of cold air cover his wound. It was soothing and the pain from the blast slowly ebbed away. Bastila closed her eyes tightly and channeled more Force through her body. After a few short moments the burn was healed and the pain was gone. Bastila opened her eyes and let out a sigh.

"Thank you." Alexander said kindly. Bastila looked into his blue eyes and smiled.

"I am happy I can help." She said, "If you were to…die…it would be devastating to me. Us. It would be devastating to us and our quest." Alexander smiled softly and put a hand on hers.

"It's ok Bastila." He said, "I'm not about to die and leave you all alone. I promise."

"That is an encouraging thought." She said at last, "I will hold you to that promise."

"You can hold me any time." Alexander said with a cheeky grin.

"Must you always cheapen these moments with you cheap flirtations?" Bastila asked, annoyed. She pulled away from him and sighed.

"Complain all you want, you know you love it." He said with a dismissive wave. Bastila shot his a glare.

"I am not sure if I should be outraged at your constant joking in serious situations." Bastila sighed, looked at her companion and blushed slightly, "Or relieved that you can always lighten the mood. I admit that your _manners_, however miss placed they may be as we are both Jedi, are refreshing. Nothing seems to darken your spirit for long."

Alexander smiled down at Bastila. He put a hand gently on her cheek and she could feel his warmth through the Kevlar weave of his glove. Bastila closed her eyes and leaned into his hand. If was so comforting. For a second she let her emotions slip out and just enjoyed the closeness of the moment.

"This is wrong." She whispered. She couldn't bring herself to pull away though.

"Does it feel wrong?" He whispered back and gently stroked her cheek.

"No." she breathed, "No this does not _feel_ wrong. But we can't." Bastila quickly turned away and walked over to join Juhani and Zaalbar. Although she made to help them search through the slain troopers, she kept her distance from them. Alexander sighed crouched next to the slain Wookie.

"Zaalbar?" He called out, "Are there any…rights we should perform? A ritual of passing?" The Wookie looked over at him and slowly approached. Bastila and Juhnai both stopped what they were doing to watch. Zaalbar searched around the slain Wookie for a moment and suddenly pointed to something nearby. Alexander brushed aside a branch and picked up a worn looking vibro-blade. Zaalbar nodded and motioned to the slain Wookie.

"This was his?" Alexander asked as something dawned on him, "We must return it to him for the after-life, right?" Zaalbar nodded and Alexander gently placed the sword in the hands of the slain Wookie. Bastila felt a sting of sympathy for Zaalbar and regret at how she had acted towards Alexander.

"Gnarr garr." Zaalbar said and Alexander nodded. With a grunt of effort the two picked up the slain Wookie and carried him to the edge of the platform. Carefully they held him over the edge and let him drop.

'Orrar grarr." Zaalbar said. Alexander bowed his head. Bastila and Juhani did the same. After a moment of silence, Zaalbar turned to Alexander and put a hand on his shoulder. He nodded and walked away.

They continued in silence for another hour. The only things worth taking from the Czerka patrol had been a hand full of ammo backs, a few more grenades and some sort of access card the officer had been carrying. Bastila kept a noticeable distance from Alexander who was lost in his own thoughts. Juhani and Zaalbar seemed to be oblivious of the tension between the two humans or at least choose not to comment. After rounding another giant tree, Bastila felt something. Like a tugging at the back of her mind and she suddenly had a metallic acidic taste in her mouth. A quick look at her companions told her Alexander and Juhani felt similar. Juhani was sniffing the air continuously and Alexander had holstered his blaster and drew his lightsaber.

"Is that what I think it is?" He asked quietly. Zaalbar did not have the Force sensitive training the others did, but he knew something was wrong. He raised his bowcaster and was searching for targets.

"I don't know." Replied a deep, metallic voice. They turned on their heels and came face to face with four figures in black robes. Their cloaks seemed to absorb all light shining on them. "What do you think we are?" The leader activated a blood red lightsaber, the glow lending his disfigured face a demonic glow.

"We have come for you."


	4. Kashyyyk Prt III

"Lord Malek was very upset when he heard you had escaped Taris alive, young Bastila." The Sith Jedi's voice was monotone and heavily augmented. Most of his lower jaw was covered in a mechanical grill and one whole eye had been replaced with a bulky cybernetic. A lens of red crystal, like watered down ruby, stared blankly at Bastila and her companions. The lead Sith beckoned to his followers and they all in unison activated their lightsabers.

Alexander looked back at Juhani and Bastila and as one they activated their blades. Bastila held her double-bladed saber in front of her and lowered her stance to a defense position. Juhani growled loudly and bared her fangs to the Sith. Alexander was calm and composed. He raised his violet lightsaber in challenge to the leader of the Sith.

"Zaalbar?" Alexander tilted his head towards the Wookie, "Sit this one out. We won't be long." The Wookie nodded and took a step back, but he kept his bowcaster leveled and drew a vibro-sword from its sheath on his back.

"Bastila, you take blue one." Alexander nodded to a deep blue Twi'lek. The young Jedi nodded and walked slowly into position. The Twi'lek licked her lips and followed Bastila's motions exactly.

"Juhani, you have the one with horns." Juhani nodded her accent and growled towards a red skinned horned Sith.

"You two," Alexander called out to the lead Sith and a second Twi'lek, this one with sickly green skin, "Are mine!" The leader responded with an arc of lightning from his fingertip. Alexander raised his blade and deflected the energy into a tree, where it took a chunk out of the bark in a blazing explosion. Alexander leapt at the Sith leader and their blades met in a wave of sparks.

Bastila took this as her cue to attack but the Twi'lek was already moving. The Sith opened with a flurry of blows and Bastila was forced back a step with each blow she blocked. Bastila countered and brought her lightsaber down in a sweeping arch. The Twi'lek blocked the first blade and the second slipped past her guard, slicing the tip from one of her tentacles. The Twi'lek hissed in pain and sent a surge of energy into Bastila, knocking her into the air. Bastila tumbled end over end through the air but she recovered quickly and landed gracefully on her feet. The Twi'lek was sprinting hard with her lightsaber poised to deliver the killing blow. Bastila brought her blade up and deflected the blow. Each blow she deflected came closer and closer to landing. The Twi'lek was like a berserker, striking at every opening without any care for her safety. In a split second, Bastila saw an opening and spun around the Sith, through her guard and drove her lightsaber deep into the Twi'lek back. The Sith staggered to the ground and pitched over, dead.

Juhani swung her lightsaber in an upwards arch but the red-skinned Sith easily deflected and his return strike nearly took the Cathar's head off. Juhani dodged out of the way and landed a kick square in the Sith's chest. He stumbled and brought his lightsaber up blindly. Juhani's blade crashed into his and with a twist of the knuckle, her rolled her lightsaber down and sliced off the Sith's hand. The red-skinned Sith suddenly lunged forward, tackling Juhani to the ground and ripping the lightsaber from her grasp with his one good hand. The Sith struck Juhani in the temple with her own lightsaber handle. For a second all Juhani could see was stars and a blur of movement. The Sith drew his arm back to crush Juhani's skull but the Cathar lashed out with her hand and slashed across his face with her claws. The Sith growled in anger and clutched his ruined face, dropping the lightsaber. Juhani snatched up her fallen weapon and in one smooth motion, flicked it on and drove it into the Sith's chest, burying the blade to the hilt.

Alexander's lightsaber was a blur of motion, blocking and striking with perfect precision. The green Twi'lek lunged with his saber poised at Alexander's heart. The Jedi spun out of the way and brought up his violet lightsaber to block a return blow from the Sith leader. Alexander quickly countered, his lightsaber landing a telling blow on the Sith's chest plate but failing to draw blood. The Sith lashed out with his fist, catching Alexander in the jaw and snapping his head back. The Twi'lek saw an opportunity and swung his lightsaber in a disemboweling arc. Alexander sent a jolt of Force energy through is muscles and jumped out of the way. In a blinding arc he brought his lightsaber down to slice the Twi'lek in half. The Sith barely blocked but Alexander pressed his advantage and thundered a series of blows at the Twi'lek. The Sith blocked each blow but was forced to a knee. Alexander smashed the Twi'lek's saber out of the way and took his head off in one swing. The Sith leader roared his rage and hammered his knee into Alexander's chest, cracking a rib. Alexander staggered for a moment and the Sith leader raised his lightsaber high above his head to deliver the killing blow. Alexander brought his lightsaber up just in time and was driven to a knee by the force of the blow. The Sith pressed in and slowly forced his lightsaber closer to the Jedi's face. Alexander face was twisted with effort as he tried to hold the Sith leader at bay. Thinking quickly, Alexander let go with one hand and purposefully fell back out of the way of the Sith's blade. With his free hand he drew the laser pistol at his side and fired a round at point-blank range into the Sith's chest. The Sith staggered back and put a hand to the bleeding hole in his chest. Alexander staggered to his feet, keeping the blaster pistol on the Sith.

"It's over." Alexander wheezed, "Give up." The Sith was breathing heavily and clutching his ruined chest.

"Ne…never." He managed. The Sith took off in a sprint towards the Jedi. Alexander fired a round into his shoulder and a second into chest but he kept coming. The dying Sith collided with Alexander with all the force of a hurricane. The two fell back and stumbled over the edge of the wooden path to plummet to the forest floor below.

"NO!" Bastila screamed and reached out for him, but she knew it was too late. She sprinted over to the edge of the walkway, her heart beating faster than it ever had.

"Alex!" She screamed into the echoing darkness of the forest floor below. She pulled the vox-device from her belt and switched it on, "Alex can you hear me? Alex, come on damn you, respond." Bastila waited for a few heart-breaking seconds but only static responded. She could not feel him through her Force bond but she also knew she had not felt his death. Even with their connection she wasn't positive she would know if he was dead. Her heart was beating like a drum. This shouldn't be happening. He was supposed to lead them; he was supposed to be their hero. Now he was gone before he could make a difference. No! He was not dead. He was alive, he had to be. Bastila looked up at Juhani who looked equally distraught. After a moment the Cathar was impassive.

"I am not worried." She said, "And you should not be either. He is alive, I know he is. We will find him."

"I…you are right." Bastila said slowly, carefully. The next words out of her mouth filled her with self-loathing. "But we have to continue searching for the Starmap."

"What?" Juhani exclaimed, "We need to go find him. We have to-"

"Juhani please." Bastila said quietly, "I want nothing more than to find him, and make sure he's safe. Make sure he's…that he is…but we have a mission. We can't do anything from up here. Not right now at least. Alexander is a capable Jedi. He'll be fine on his own, for now."

"He would never abandon you." Juhani spat and turned away.

"Juhani." Bastila said darkly, "I am not abandoning Alexander. He and I share a connection that no other Jedi ever have. Something you could never understand. He matters more to me than you know. Do not dare to presume I would ever abandon him! Ever!" Juhani was speechless for a long moment.

"I…I am sorry. You are right, of course." She said at length, "It's just…" Her words trailed off.

"I know." Bastila said and turned back towards the forest below, "I'm not as cold and bitchy as everyone says I am. I do care. I want to find him. But we are Jedi. We have responsibilities. The safety of the Galaxy must come before our happiness. No matter how much we…" Bastila didn't finish her sentence and for the first time in years, she felt tears forming in her eyes. She quickly walked away, unable to be near the Cathar or Wookie.

Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. She was filled with regret and sorrow and anger. Regret because there was a chance that her last words to Alexander were harsh and dismissive. Sorrow that a friend, her best friend if she was honest, may be dead. And anger. Bright and raging anger. Towards the Sith for hurting her friends and rampaging across the Galaxy. At Alex for being so charming and handsome and passionate and caring. Anger towards the Jedi Council for forcing her into this quest, and forcing her to…

But most of all, the anger was directed towards herself. How could she let this happen? Why didn't she fight harder? Why couldn't she help her friend? Why couldn't she control her emotions?

Bastila looked down at the limitless jungle of Kashyyyk and sighed. He was down there, somewhere. She didn't know if he was alive or dead. It tore at her heart not to go find out immediately, but she knew Alexander would want them to carry on. He would want her to fight and protect the Galaxy.

But how could she? Loathed to admit it, Alexander was a better leader than her. Maybe she was the better swordsman, _maybe_, but she lacked his charisma. Alexander was also much more street-smart than she was. He knew what people wanted to hear. If it was possible to find a peaceful was to resolve any issue, he found it. And never once did he use his powers to persuade. Bastila sighed and looked down at her hands. She wanted…_what did she want?_

Touch. She wanted to touch him and be touched by him. Bastila felt equally disgusted and thrilled by the idea. She was a Jedi. She valued self control but she also valued honestly. If she was honest, she just wanted to lie down and let Alex hold her close. Nothing sexual or lustful. She just wanted comfort from him. Bastila crushed the thought before it took hold. She was a Jedi! She was above this.

"Bastila?" Juhani's voice was a quick whisper. Bastila looked over but found herself staring into the barrel of a bowcaster. She looked around and found a dozen Wookie soldiers standing around her, weapons drawn. One of their number, their leader, approached the two Jedi and Zaalbar. He brandished a vibrosword, indicating for them to follow him. Damn her aimless mind wondering. She was angry again. Angry at herself, but mostly angry at Alexander for causing these…_feelings_.

"What do we do?" Juhani asked, noticing the looks the Wookies were giving Zaalbar.

"What can we do?" Bastila asked, "We go with them. Peacefully."

000000

Alexander awoke with a start and the first thing he knew was pain. His breath came to him in ragged, halting gasps. It was clear several ribs were broken. He tried to open his eyes, and found he could only see through one. His other was gummed shut with pooled blood. He cupped the blood from his eye and took a look around.

He was lying on soft green moss and he could see the broken branches he had fallen though on his way to the ground. The sounds of the jungle echoed around him. He looked up and saw thin streaks of light bleeding through the forest canopy. In the distance he heard water rushing, and the call of birds. He could here leaves rustling. He felt movement on his leg and jerked quickly from a multi-legged insect crawling up his body. The creature scuttled along a piece of rotten wood before a spiked limb stuck it. A second, large insect held the first aloft as it died, and then began the process of eating it.

Alexander crawled to his feet, finding one ankle swollen and a throbbing pain in his head. He reached ouch and put a hand on a nearby sapling. He pulled the communicator from his waist and pressed in the broadcasting stud.

"Bastila? Juhani? Zaalbar?" His voice was harsh and ragged, "Anyone up there?" there was static for a second before the light on his communicator flashed out and started to smoke. He sighed and let the broken device fall to the floor. It was then he noticed a dull gleam a few feet away. It was his blaster. Relief flooded him briefly. At least he had a weapon. His lightsaber was nowhere to be seen and he doubted he would find it any time soon.

Summoning up his last bit of strength, he limped away. He had to find a way to get back to the others. His head throbbed in pain, and he found it nearly impossible to concentrate. His vision swam as he staggered down a small animal trail.

000000

Bastila, Juhani and Zaalbar were led at gunpoint into a Wookie village. Once they were through the wooden gate, Zaalbar was roughly taken away. Juhani cast a glance at Bastila, but the young Jedi's attention was elsewhere.

Bastila's mind was fixed on one action: Contacting Alexander through their Force bond.

_Alex, can you hear me?_ She whispered into the Force, praying for an answer. Several horrible seconds past and there was no answer.

_Alex, please…_There was no response and a terrible sense of dread gripped Bastila. She could not sense him. If felt as if there was a static block between them. But, Bastila was quick to remind herself, that did not mean he was dead. It was possible he was just unconscious or too injured to concentrate.

Bastila laughed coldly and shook her head. Those two options didn't make her feel any better. A Wookie guard shoved Bastila with his blaster, and pointed to a longhouse at the edge of the village. Bastila and Juhani walked along a worn wooden path through the village heart.

Bastila got her first good look at Wookie life. It was beautiful in its simplicity. There was a sense of community in that no individual was made to work alone. Here Bastila observed a child with his father, or mother, it was difficult to tell, as the two wove a basket together. There two Wookies sat together over a small fire, turning a slow roasted hunk of meat. For the most part, the two Jedi were ignored. Briefly Bastila caught the eye of a older, grey Wookie and gasped at the sorrow in his eyes.

It was then that Bastila noticed the atmosphere of the village. Where before she saw community now she saw sorrow. There was an air of tragedy, and quiet desperation. Even as Bastila searched for an reason, she knew in her heart what happened. Slavery.

Her conversation at the Czerka office earlier flashed in her mind. These Wookies were the lucky ones. The ones either too old, or weak to be taken as slaves. Cursed to live without loved ones and in growing fear. At brief glance at Juhani told her the Cathar Jedi had come to the same conclusion. But where Bastila's eye were set, Juhani's eyes were alight with fiery anger. Bastila wondered if the Cathar had some personal experience with slavery. Before she could ask, the door to the longhouse was opened by a Wookie honor guard. Bastila and Juhani approached a throne, flanked by growling armed Wookies.

A human, in the garb of a Czerka specialist, stood at the right side of the Wookie on the throne.

"Greetings, Jedi, and welcome to the village of Rwookrrorro. This is Chief Chuuundar, and he welcomes you." The Czerka man said in a smooth, diplomatic way.

"I…thank you." Bastila said and nodded her head to Chuundar, "I am Bastila Shan of the Jedi. With me is Juhani Marr, also of the Jedi." She paused, and looked around, "We had another. A Wookie. Zaalbar, he wa-" With a roar of anger, Chuundar leapt from his throne and gripped Bastila by her throat. He growled something in his language. The Czerka officer laughed.

"It seems that name if forbidden here, Jedi." He told them, "He is a madclaw. A Wookie who slew another with his claws. He has been exiled."

"Hrr….grrrr…release…me…" Bastila managed and Chuundar obeyed. Bastila gasped on the ground for a moment and fought the sudden urge to kill the Wookie chief.

"The Madclaw will be caged, like an animal should be."

"We will free him." Bastila said with a hard edge in her voice. Chuuundar sat back down on his throne and growled something.

"Why are you on Kashyyyk?" The officer asked after a pregnant pause.

"We have our own mission. We must go to the Shadowland. " Bastila spat, "A Jedi matter. That should be enough for you." The officer relayed Bastila's word to Chuuundar in the Wookie's language, who studied the Jedi with a cold eye. He turned to the officer and growled a response.

"You're quest ends here, Jedi." A ghost of a smile played on the Czerka officer's lips, "You are forbidden to go any further. You may not journey to the Shadowlands"

"You can't!" Juhani suddenly exclaimed. Bastila held up a hand for her to calm down.

"Please, Chuundar, there was another in our group." Bastila tried to keep the sadness from her voice, "Another Jedi. We were ambushed by Sith warriors, and our companion fell into the jungle. You must let us look for him."

"Jedi, if he fell into the Shadowland, then he is already dead." The Czerka officers voice became more casual, "even if he survived the fall, he's been eaten alive by something by now. You wouldn't want to see what's left of him."

"Please, just translate what I said." Bastila growled, the idea of Alex being eaten bringing her blood to a boil. The Czerka officer sighed and did as she asked. The chief, Chuundar, studied Bastila for a horribly long time. Chuundar motioned to another Wookie, a confidant of some sort, and whispered to him. After a brief discussion, Chuundar spoke to the Czerka officer. After a moment, the human turned to Bastila.

"Chief Chuuundar is willing to make a deal with you, Jedi." The officer motioned to the two, "He will allow you to look for your companion, and by extension, you may continue your quest. In return, while in the Shadowland, you hunt down and slay a Wookie. Another madclaw, named Freyyr. Kill him. Take it or leave it?"

"We'll take it." Juhani said quickly. Bastila shot her a look, but nodded.

"Deal." Bastila told Chuuundar. The Wookie nodded and motioned for the Wookie guards to take the Jedi away.

"Good luck." The Czerka officer said mockingly. Bastila bit back a reply, and steeled herself for the mission to come. Bastila and Juhani left the longhouse and were escorted out of the village.

000000

Alexander stumbled blindly through the jungle, his head throbbing in pain and his ankle giving him no small amount of discomfort. He didn't know how long he had been wondering. An hour? Two? It was impossible to tell through the tree line, and his chronometer had broken during his fall. All he could do was press on, hoping to run into someone. He hoped it would be Bastila, but he knew that was unlikely. Kashyyyk was a big planet, with endless kilometers of jungle and swamp land. Who knew where she was? Or if she was safe?

A chilling thought entered Alex's mind. What if a second Sith party had ambushed his friends? Was it possible that Zaalbar, Juhani and Bastila were already dead? Could the Ebon Hawk have been destroyed? Was he the last one left to fight Malak? He could not believe it was so. He had to push on, he had to find his friends. Alex's bad ankle landed on a lose rock and he stumbled, falling into the mud.

He screamed in pain and clutched at his leg. After a moment, he pulled a pain-killer syringe from his belt. On a count of three, he plunged the needle into his leg and emptied the contents. There was more pain, followed by a cooling sensation. His foot went numb in moments and he sighed. He pulled a water canteen from his belt and sipped at the precious liquid. It was cool and calmed the fire in his throat. After a moment, he retrieved a ration bar and ate it ravenously. While he was chewing, he studied the land around him. He was on a small outcropping, and in the distance he could hear water running. He stood on weak legs and buckled his canteen away. If nothing else, he could refill the thing at the water. Maybe if he followed the stream, it would lead him to a village.

He walked slowly making sure each step hit solid ground. There was another bite at his neck, and he slapped the area quickly. Looking at his hand, he saw the bloody smear of some leeching insect. Gods, how he hated this planet and its insects. When they weren't trying to eat you, or suck your blood they were trying to lay eggs in your eyes, or burrow under your skin. There was a level of violation in what they did that sickened him. He toyed with the idea of summoning some sort of Force barrier to keep the troublesome bugs away, but decided against it. Who knew what he would encounter later?

As if to answer his thought, just as he crested a hill, Alex heard a deep growl. With mounting dread, he turned slowly. There, only a few meters away, standing at the bank of the small river he had searched for, was a beast. It was some sort of reptile, with a large armored head and two scything claws. Its body was a mess of green leathery skin and natural armor plates. Its eyes were like two baleful suns, sickly and dying. And they were looking directly at him. It growled at him, and bared a mouth of powerful teeth.

What gripped Alexander wasn't fear, but trepidation. This beast could, and most likely would, kill him. On some level, he was okay with that. Death didn't frighten him. But what he would leave unfinished did. Malak was still out there. The Sith were still waging their war against peace and freedom. And his friends needed him. Mission wanted to find her lost brother. Juhani, Carth, and Canderous were lost souls, looking for something. Alex was determined to help them find it. And Bastila…

He didn't know what she meant to him, or vice versa, but she was special. He wanted to be her friend. To stand with her as they fought the Sith and brought order back to the Galaxy. But all those hopes and dreams were going to end, here and now. End on the claws of some reptilian predator.

Alex pulled his blaster from his belt, determined to at least die with a weapon in hand. He briefly fumbled for something on his belt, and found a single adrenaline stimulator. He despised these things. Too many good soldiers had suffered terrible side effects of prolonged stim use. With regret he injected the drug into his system and breathed deeply.

The Kataran charged. Time slowed for him as the stims took effect.

Alex fired a barrage of red death, easily striking the reptile in a dozen places. Slowly, purple blood oozed out, but it have no signs of pain. It barred its teeth, and Alex leapt to the side, barely dodging the creature. It turned quickly and swatted at him with its tail. The force of the blow was staggering, and sent the Jedi sprawling in the dirt. He groaned and raised his blaster again. He fired and this time was rewarded with a screech of pain. A shadow loomed over him, and, acting on instinct, Alex rolled out of the way. The Kataran's claw cut through the ground where he had just been. The creature acted quickly, and slashed again.

Alex screamed in pain as the Kataran's claw cut through his armor and deep into his arm. He wrenched the vibro-knife from his belt and plunged it into the reptile's stomach. It howled in pain. Alex withdrew the knife and plunged again, and again, and again. Each strike ripped a new hole in the Kataran, rupturing organs and spilling precious blood. Retrieving his blaster from where he had dropped it, Alex buried the weapon's barrel in one of the knife wounds and fired. The Kataran bellowed as it died, but he kept pulling the trigger, sending round after round into the beast. He only stopped when the pistol clicked empty. The Kataran fell to the ground heavily, the smell of burned meat and smoke rising from the corpse.

Alex lay exhausted on the dirt, his breath coming is gasps and blood leaking from the wound in his arm. Already he could feel things crawling on him, biting at his torn flesh and drinking his flowing blood. He pulled the can of synthetic flesh from his belt and sprayed the last little bit on his shoulder. There wasn't much; he had used most of it on his numerous cuts and scrapes from his fall. But there was enough to disinfect the area and cover it with a temporary seal.

His eyes grew dark, but he forced himself to his feet. He didn't want to be nearby when scavengers came for the Kataran's corpse. He stumbled down the bank of the river, his feet dragging and his eyelids heavy. He had to keep moving.

A sound cut through the air. Screams. Human screams and laser fire. Alex tensed and quickened his pace. He knew at his core, that he would find Bastila soon.

000000

"Are you sure we're going the right direction?" Bastila asked for the third time in fifteen minutes. Their newest companion, an ebony skinned Jedi named Johlee Bindo, sighed.

"Yeah young Bastila, I'm sure." He said in his deep voice. Bastila cast a glance at the older Jedi. To her it seems too convenient for her and Juhani to just stumble upon him.

Bastila and Juhani had taken an elevator to the Shadowland and had wondered through the jungle for several hours. Every now and then, Bastila called out to Alexander or tried him again on her communicator. He never responded. Bastila was beginning to wonder if she wanted to find him. She worried he was already dead. When they had heard the unmistakable sound of a lightsaber, Bastila had felt a thrill. But instead of finding Alexander as she had hoped, they had found this man; Johlee Bindo. He had been beset by numerous reptilian predators and together, the three Jedi had easily slain them.

They had exchanged brief pleasantries until Johlee had mentioned he was hunting poachers. Bastila had seen an opportunity. Now they were hunting for poachers on the promise that Johlee would help them find Alexander when they were done. Bastila put a hand to a throbbing vein on her forehead. This situation was getting absurd. It was suppose to be a _simple_ search for a legendary Starmap. But instead, Bastila was ankle deep in foliage trying to find local poachers so she could eventually find her partner.

She blinked. _Partner._ The word was apt for her relationship with Alexander. But part of her still thought it was inappropriate. She was a Jedi. She shouldn't be attached to anyone.

"Bastila?" Juhani's heavy accent called to her, "I…I found something." Pulled from her thoughts, Bastila jogged over to the Cathar but stopped when she saw what Juhani had found. It was small, silver and in the shape of a cylinder. It was a weapon, used only by a most sacred order of protectors. A Jedi lightsaber. And it was horribly familiar.

"No…" Bastila breathed as she reached out her hand and brushed it against the lightsaber.

"It's his." Juhani said solemnly, "It's Alexander's." Bastila took the lightsaber and held in close.

"He's alive." Bastila sighed, "I know he is. We will find him." Juhani nodded and walked away, lost in her private thoughts. Bastila studied the lightsaber in her hand and sighed. After a moment, she clipped it to her belt. She would give it back to Alexander herself.

"Listen!" Johlee suddenly called out. Bastila looked up and strained her ears. She heard jungle birds, rushing water, insect calls, and the general atmosphere of the jungle. But there was a snap and hiss that wasn't natural. It was barely audible, but it was there. Weapons fire. Blasters. Johlee met Bastila's eyes and nodded before they took off into a run.

They ran through the jungle, their preternatural reaction time easily allowing them to dodge pitfalls and logs. Bastila ran hard, her heart hammering. She dreaded that they'd fine these poachers, with a laser blast riddled Jedi corpse at their feet. When they came to a clearing, Bastila stopped dead in her tracks. She gasped.

"Nord?" Her voice was a whisper. A man in a blue speeder jacket and black sunglasses turned to her and smile. A dozen heavily armed warriors, and one black robed Sith stood at his side. The bodies of several men, the poachers they had been looking for, were at their feet, dead.

"There's quite a hefty bounty on your head, darling." Nord smiled as he twirled a pistol in his hand, "Alive or dead." The group of bounty hunters with him raised their weapons in unison.

"I say we kill the old fuck, and have ourselves a little fun with the babes." One of the hunters, a Mandalorian in purple plate armor, sneered. The other hunters laughed or made whistling sounds. Bastila felt sick to her stomach. She knew exactly what these hunters would do to her and Juhani if they were taken alive.

"I'll take the Cathar. I like 'em feisty." A Twi'lek blew a kiss at Juhani, "Here kitty kitty." Juhani bared her teeth in a snarl, and activated her lightsaber.

"I will never let you touch me, filth!" Juhani spat back. A number of the hunters laughed at her.

"Damn. Feisty." A human said, "I wonder how tight she is? What do you think? Think she's a virgin?"

"Easy boys." Nord said with a grin, "Let's get them on their knees first."

"Well what are we waiting for?" The Mandalorian raised his rifle and fired. Bastila ducked under the red laser and activated her duel-edged lightsaber. She used a quick Force blast to paralyze the Mandalorian. She charged, leaving Johlee and Juhani to deal with the other hunters. She wanted to kill the Mandalorian. She really, really wanted to kill him.

The Mandalorian dropped his rifle and pulled a vibrosword from his back. The energized blade met Bastila's lightsaber in a burst of sparks. Bastila pressed against the bounty hunter, her face tight in a sneer. The Mandalorian laughed and brought his knee up into Bastila's hip.

She yelled in pain and stumbled. In the second it took her to regain her balance, the Mandalorian hammered his armored fist into her face. Stars danced across her vision and she fell to her knees. A second plow hit the back of her head, and everything went dark.

Alexander's blood boiled in his veins as he came into the clearing. He had just seen Bastila fall to the Mandalorian bounty hunter. His vision went hazy with anger and he felt the Force surge through his veins.

Alexander raised his blaster and fired round after round at the Mandalorian bounty-hunter. The first blasts took him in the arm before he could react. With precision that came from countless battles, the Mandalorian activated his shield and raised his vibroblade. Alexander gritted his teeth as he limped towards Bastila's attacker. Each broken step he took, he pulled the trigger, keeping up a steady stream of fire. Alexander pressed the "over-charge" stud on his pistol and fired several fat, powerful blaster rounds into the Mandalorian. The bounty hunter staggered under the assault. A final shot took the bounty hunter in the face, killing him instantly. By then Alexander was at point blank range and glared down at the dead Mandalorian. Without thinking he retrieved the fallen man's vibroblade and used a burst of Force power to glide just over the ground. He covered the distance between him and the next bounty hunter in a second.

Before the Rodian hunter could react, Alexander drove the vibroblade deep into his chest, and ripped it out. The Rodian collapsed to the ground, his upper torso separating from his body. The next two bounty hunters, a Twi'lek and a human, died in a flash of steel and blood without firing a single shot. Alexander moved like a man possessed, the Force covering him in a faint blue glow. His stolen sword rose and fell, rose and fell, cleaving through shields, armor and flesh with ease.

Alexander's vision was a blur as he entered a battle haze. Faces came and went. Bodies seemed to move in slow motion. His sword found every weakness, every gap in a defense. Men died before him. But the one thought that burned in his mind was Bastila. He had to protect her. He had to keep her safe. And as long as these bounty hunters lived, she would never be safe. He knew what he had to do. He could show no mercy. Not for these men. They wanted to hurt someone close to him. A friend. A loved one.

His vibroblade suddenly met glowing red resistance. Alexander found himself blade-to-blade with a Sith warrior. The fallen Jedi smiled in a crooked way, his mouth filled with too many razor sharp teeth. His eyes burned a baleful red. Alexander powered through the Sith's defense and blasted him back with a Force push. Capitalizing on his advantage, Alexander rained a flurry of blows at the Sith, driving him back with each strike. The Sith managed to counter every attack, but he was becoming frustrated and tired. They traded blows, Jedi and Sith each searching for a gap in the other's defense.

_There! _Alexander saw the gap in the Sith's guard and struck. His vibroblade ripped through the flesh of the Sith's thigh. The Sith staggered back and Alexander drove his palm into the man's face, flattening his nose and cracking his skull. The Sith fell and Alexander dispatched him with a strike to his neck. The Sith died with a roar of denial in his throat.

There was only one enemy left. Calo Nord. The man from Taris, a man Alexander had thought died in the Sith orbital bombardment. Now he was here for Bastila. He wanted to give her over to Malak to be tortured, beaten…violated. Righteous anger flooded Alexander's limbs. What the Sith started on Taris, Alexander would be happy to finish here. Calo Nord fired a barrage of laser blasts from his duel pistols. Alexander charged through the storm, somehow evading every shot.

"Die, die, die!" Nord snarled as he unloaded on the charging Jedi. Thinking quickly, Nord pulled a thermal detonator from his belt. He primed it and hurled it at the Jedi. Alexander used his Force powers to halt the grenade in mid air, less than a meter from the bounty hunter. The detonator exploded with all the power of a supernova, throwing Nord to the ground in a daze. Alexander felt his skin burn and some of his hair singed away but he kept charging.

Nord's vision slowly cleared. His head throbbed and his body ached. A figure loomed over him, and Nord instantly raised his blaster and fired. The round took Alexander in the arm, but he ignored it. Summoning the last of his strength, Alexander raised the vibroblade with both hands and drove is deep into Nord's chest. Armor splintered. Flesh tore. Blood flowed. Alexander twisted the blade and watched Nord die. He felt a dangerous sense of accomplishment that left his gasping for breath. The blade dropped from his hand as Alexander's energy left him.

What had happened to him? Where had such power come from? He glanced around, seeing Juhani and another dark skinned man, another Jedi, standing a distance away. They stared at him in awe and maybe fear. He had single handedly killed over a dozen professional bounty hunters, and a Sith in matter of heartbeats. Alexander saw Bastila rising to her feet and his heart started to beat faster. Their eyes met.

Bastila stared at him for a long moment. Her heart hammered in her chest and she felt waves of relief flow through her. Pain was forgotten.

"Alex…?" She breathed the name, and slowly reached a hand out to him. Alex's body armor was dented and smeared with blood and crushed vegetation. He smiled in a broken, injured way and took a slow limp towards her. Bastila dropped her lightsaber and sprinted as fast as she could.

She collided with him hard, and wrapped her arms around his chest. Alexander hissed in pain, but managed to put one arm around her and held her close. The other arm hung limp at his side, his wound still throbbing with pain. None of that mattered to him right now. All the pain faded to a dull ache as he held Bastila.

Juhani smiled happily and made to approach the two Jedi but Johlee stopped her.

"Give these two a moment." He said quietly, "They deserve one. Come with me. Your friend looks injured. I have supplies back at my cabin." Juhani nodded and cast one last forlorn glance at Alexander before following the aged Jedi back into the jungle.

Bastila breathed in deeply and let herself get lost in her happiness. A small Jedi voice in the back of her head told her to show some restraint, but she'd be damned if she didn't revel in the joy of seeing Alexander still alive.

"Hey there beautiful." He whispered in her ear; Bastila laughed despite her training, "I take it you missed me?"

"I…I was…" She looked at him and put a hand on his face and took in the damage done to him. Most of his face was stained with dried blood and several smaller cuts decorated his handsome features. Their compromising position suddenly struck her mind and her Jedi resolve returned. Her Jedi mind spoke for her. "I was worried the mission would suffer without you."

Alexander's smile fell and he stared hard at her. Bastila winced at her own words and regretted them instantly."Is that all?"

"No." Bastila admitted and looked away, ashamed, "I was also worried for you. I feared you were dead…and we can't do this without you. I almost hate to admit it, but we need you."

"By we do you mean _you_?" He asked dangerously. To his surprise, Bastila smiled softly and rested her head on his chest.

"Yes." She whispered and let herself melt into his embrace, "I need you...And if you mention this moment to _anyone_ I will not hesitate to make your life a living hell."

"I understand." He responded quickly and just enjoyed holding her close. She felt his lips brush against her forehead and she stiffened. Her Jedi training screamed at her, but she couldn't listen. She didn't want to listen. She looked up and found her eyes locked with his. She could feel his warm breath on her face and a longing stirred in her stomach. She leaned forward, her lips mere inches from his. She closed her eyes and waited in anticipation for her first romantic kiss. But it never came. Seconds dragged by at an agonizing pace. Slowly she opened her eyes and saw that Alexander's features were sorrowful.

"We can't." He said at length, "I _want_ to. Believe me Bastila, I want to, but if we did you'd never forgive yourself. I won't let you suffer because of my…desire." Bastila sighed but nodded. It was her desire too.

"You're right. We can't."She looked at him and smiled sadly, "Thank you Alex, for being strong. I… wish…perhaps…in another age, in another life…we could…" She let the words hang in the air before she brushed a hand on his face. Without another word she spun on her heel and walked several feet away. She waited for her heart to slow down. Her face burned with shame, guilt and passion.

_What's happening to me?_ She thought to herself. Outwardly she said "If you need help walking, I can assist."

"I can manage. Walk it off. That what my old drill sergeant used to say. " He said with his trademark grin and limped over to her. She could tell he was in pain and when he stumbled it was too much for her. His manly pride be damned!

"Oh for Force's sake, here!" Bastila sighed and walked over to him. Alexander held up a hand and shook his head.

"Please. Let me do this." His voice was low, and filled with sadness.

"Alex?" She breathed.

"I…I don't trust myself to be strong a second time." He looked away and limped by her. Bastila stared at the ground as he passed. Her heart ached for his touch and her brain hated her for it. How could she long for someone so much? She was a Jedi. Granted she was only a Padawan, but a Jedi none the less. She was above this. Better than. She had to deny this. If Alex could stop himself from…kissing her, then she could at least not act like an awe-struck schoolyard bimbo. Bastila steeled her heart and resolve and followed him into their temporary camp outside Johlee's house. She saw that Juhani and their newest Jedi companion had laid Alexander down on a small cushion while they tended to his wounds. As she approached, Juhani looked up and scowled.

"You let him walk all the way here on his ankle?" She asked, "It's practically broken Bastila! How could you?" Bastila breathed in sharply and was about to retort when Alexander interrupted.

"It was a favor." He said cheerfully, "I have to keep my manly persona, you know? No offense Bastila, I'd love to let you hold me, but I need to fly solo for awhile."

"Don't…don't mention it." Bastila said slowly, then grinned, "Nice to see none of that hot air leaked out during your little side adventure. Maybe we can use it to float over the trees?" The three other Jedi laughed and Juhani relaxed and turned her attention back to Alex. Bastila held his gaze for a long moment.

_Thank you. _She whispered into his mind.

_It's ok._ He managed back. Bastila allowed herself to feel his mind through their link. She suddenly felt weak on her knees and steadied herself on a nearby stump.

_Gods, Alex. You're exhausted. You need to rest. _She looked at him, feeling the sympathetic pain he was in.

_I will. Just…just be there when I wake up. _He smiled weakly at her as Juhani applied a healing solvent to his face. Johlee was talking aimlessly about a wound on Alex's arm that could only have come from some local alpha hunter.

_I promise. _She told him. He nodded and let his head rest on a small cushion. Sleep took him almost instantly. Bastila smiled to herself and entered Johlee's hut to see what food supplies to old hermit had. If they were going to continue their quest, then they would need to eat. And Bastila was determined to be of some help, even if she couldn't be as close to Alexander as she wanted. The female Jedi sighed and shook her head. This quest would be the end of her.


	5. Kashyyyk Prt IV

Night on Kashyyyk was a brutal affair. With the setting of the sun and the chilling of the air came the planet's most vicious predators. Vampiric blood vines, dormant in the day, uncoiled from high branches to snare warm blooded animals too foolish to avoid them. The arachnid kinrath stalked from their caves to prey upon the unwary, their venomous claws ready to kill. Amphibious worrt emerged from the swamps to feed on the sudden flurry of insect life. Parasitic borer beetles sought fresh hosts for their young.

Others creatures were shrouded in myth and innuendo. Wookies told stories to wide-eyed youngsters of the night-stalkers that stole disobedient children from their beds. There were stories of mighty wyvern that prowled the deepest oceans, plucking sailors from ships and dragging them to the murky depths. But no story was as terrible as the anakkona. Feared throughout the galaxy, the anakkona were known to be next to impossible to kill, and were easily powerful enough to take on a rancor one on one. Most argued they were extinct, as no one had seen one in thousands of years. Or at least seen one and lived.

It was said among the elite jungle fighters of the Republic Army that surviving five minutes on the jungle floor of Kashyyyk after nightfall was the mark of the truly elite, or lucky. Every plant and animal existed in a constant state of hunger, and unwary humans were in rich supply. Too many thought themselves cunning or strong enough to survive. Xenobiologist, big game hunters, documentary crews, and countless individuals seeking spiritual awareness among nature had journeyed deep in the jungle. None had ever returned. Not even the Wookies, the dominant sentient life form on Kashyyyk for thousands of years journeyed into the Green at night.

Bastila looked out in the echoing dark outside. They had been lucky Johlee's hut was large enough for all of them. The night air was crisp and brought with it a pleasant earthy scent. It also brought the sounds of nature. She could hear countless insects buzzing and chirping. Birds called from high in the trees. In the distance she heard the haunting howl of some canine night hunter. It was nature in its purest and more terrifying form.

Sighing, the young Jedi returned her attention to a small datapad she held in her hand. It was a simple device, barely able to do more than record images and entries. Bastila had bartered for it before leaving Dantooine what seemed like years ago, although it had been less than a week. She used it as a journal, refusing to degrade herself by calling it a "diary". It was her hope that her thoughts and experiences could be used by the Jedi. She documented everything, or at least everything she was willing to tell the masters of her order. It was mostly centered on her special companion, the Jedi Alexander Stargaze. Or at least that was the name he knew himself as. The truth was far darker, and until the datapad was safe away from Alexander's curious eye that was the name she knew him by too. She finished an entry explaining about Kashyyyk and held the device out the window to record the nighttime sounds of the jungle. Satisfied, Bastila returned the device to its place in her traveling pack and returned to her makeshift bed to sleep.

At Johlee's insistence the young Jedi had tried to rest. He had provided cushions and blankets, but could offer little more than the floor as a surface. He was a hermit, as he had so eloquently put it, and had not expected company. Despite her exhaustion, sleep continued to evade Bastila. Her companion, the Cathar Juhani, was not similarly afflicted. Sleep came easy to her, and Bastila envied her that. Juhani's steady breathing and peaceful features were like a beacon of aggravation to Bastila. Why was she able to rest so peacefully?

Sighing, Bastila turned over and looked at her other companion. Since passing out during his treatment, Alex had yet to awaken. They had to carry him inside while his body repaired itself. His handsome features were calm despite the grievous wounds he suffered. His breathing was steady and measured, but unlike Juhani, Bastila found comfort in this. She quietly crawled over to where he slept.

Looking down at him, Bastila felt a spike of shame. She had been so close, so amazingly close to kissing him. She had almost broken one of the Jedi's most crucial rules. She knew this, but part of her didn't care. Part of her wanted to be with Alexander as a lover. This thought shamed her. Years of training in countless Jedi temples and outposts, years of self denial and countless hours of meditation were being unraveled by his dazzling smile and caring heart. How had it come to this? She was a protégé, a Force-gifted individual with near limitless potential. And she was willing to throw it all away because of one man?

Even as she considered this, another thought leapt unbidden to her mind. Jedi's were encouraged, expected even, to follow the path that brought them fulfillment. For most that fulfillment was found in the crucible of battle, defending those who could not defend themselves. But not all of them followed that path. Some Jedi had dedicated themselves to scholarly pursuits and research, ranging from archeology to advanced medicine and astro-physics. Some had taken political posts as ambassadors and advisors. Some Jedi had been seconded to law enforcement agencies as specialist and arbitrators. Still others found happiness in more esoteric activities. Though rare, it was not entirely unheard of for Jedi to paint, sculpt or even sing for the enjoyment of thousands. So long as they brought peace and balance to the Galaxy, Jedi were ultimately free to pursue their own goals. Who could fault her, a young, healthy and attractive woman for finding comfort with a man like Alexander? How could anyone deny her this? She could be happy. He could be happy. Where was the problem? Basic anatomy deemed she would be attracted to him, but it was deeper than that.

They had chemistry. "Sparks" as Mission Vao had once put it, "Enough sparks to fill the night sky with stars." Bastila had been impressed. In rare moments, the young Twi'lek could be very mature, even poetic. What she had said was entirely true. Bastila knew it. Alexander knew it. Most of the Galaxy seemed to know it. He was brash where she was calculating. Where she was cold, he was warm and comforting. When she was dismissive, he always had a friendly smile on his face. Their Jedi ideals may be similar, but their personalities could not be further apart.

But that only served to draw them closer together. Bastila felt that Alexander was a missing puzzle piece; a piece she didn't even know she lacked. In battle they were like two perfectly fitted cog wheels, moving with a grace and cohesion that should not have been possible at their age. The numerous times they had sparred had always ended in a draw. On their walks through the fields of Dantooine, they had bickered and spat at each other, testing the other's limits. When Bastila had taught him what she knew of the Force he had been eager to learn but just as eager to disagree and question. Even on Taris they had been at each other's throats. But that had only reinforced the mutual respect building between them. They were polar opposites, and yet somehow, Bastila didn't think she could enjoy life without him.

Cursed luck she had. Devoted to a life of self denial, and loneliness only to find a man she could happily spend her life with, bound to the same loneliness she was. When their quest was over, if they both survived, where would she be? Exiled to some remote outpost, forbidden to see him ever again? Sent to the frontline of the next Galactic war? The Jedi could retire her, and she would be forced to spend her days in a dusty lecture hall, explaining to the next generation of Jedi about the folly of emotional attachment.

Or worse, what if the Jedi choose to execute Alexander for his past crimes? Could Bastila remain in the order after an act like that? Would she even let them hurt him? For the first time in her life Bastila could imagine a scenario wherein she would attack a Jedi master in anger. The thought terrified her. Who was she to act against the council? It wasn't her place to question; merely to obey. The Jedi had been around for millennia . She was twenty-two years old. How could she possibly know better than them? How could she stand against thousands of years of knowledge and wisdom?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a groaning and Alex shifted on his mattress. His eyes barely opened. They darted around in the dark before focusing on her. They glinted in the night like sapphires emerged in water.

"Bastila?" He whispered, "Why…why are you…?" His voice was slightly slurred and Bastila knew he was still feeling the effects of the pain suppressants they had given him.

"I promised you I would be, didn't I?" She asked rhetorically. He managed a smile and nodded.

"Wh…what happened to Zaalbar?" He asked and tried to get up, "I didn't see him earlier." Bastila instantly put a hand on his chest and gently pushed him back down.

"No getting up yet." She said firmly, "And…Zaalbar was taken prisoner by Chief Chuuundar, for being a madclaw."

"Damn." Alex breathed, "He was worried Chuuundar would do that. They are blood-kin, did you know that?" From the look on her face, it was obvious she had no idea. He nodded before continuing. "He was worried Chuundar had taken over his tribe, and that he had secured the contracts to sell Wookies as slaves."

"That's monstrous!" Bastila said, aghast, "How could anyone sell their own people into slavery?"

"I…I don't know. But we're going to get Zaalbar back, and if possible, we're going to stop this slave trade." Bastila nodded her agreement and brushed a hand on his face.

"If you are going to overthrow an entire government, you'll need this." Bastila produced Alexander's lightsaber from her belt. He smiled gently and took it from her. Their hands brushed together for a moment and Bastila blushed slightly.

"I thought I lost this." He said more to himself, "I was worried I'd have to defeat Malak with my fists and witty charm."

"You never give up, do you?" She asked quietly.

"Never." He took her hand in his, "On anything or anyone." She nodded and gulped down a sudden nervous feeling. She leaned down and gave him a chaste kiss on the forehead.

"Get some more sleep." She told him, "Tomorrow is going to be a busy day." He nodded with a grin on his face and slowly closed his eyes. She could sense an uncommon calm in him. Bastila quickly pulled her cushion next to him. She made sure to keep a noticeable distance between them, but she still felt more relaxed being near him. Alexander's calm seemed to radiate outward. His hand reached out and took hers. Bastila breathed in sharply but she couldn't pull away. She didn't want to. A soft smile played on her face and she squeezed his hand. He squeezed back. For the first time in days, sleep came ease for Bastila.

00000000

"I have to ask," Alexander said, glancing over at his new companion, "Of _all_ the planets in the 'verse, you choose this insect infested greenhouse?"

Johlee put a hand to his temple and sighed, "Kids…" He muttered to himself. Juhani caught Bastila's eyes and the two shared an amused grin. It was good to have Alexander's totally inappropriate joking back to liven the mood. Still Bastila had to admit, the insect like on Kashyyyk was really annoying her.

"To answer your question, Alexander," Johlee began as he stepped over a fallen tree, "I didn't choose this beautiful world. Kashyyyk choose me."

"Very…cryptic of you." Alexander replied, "Do you always talk in such mystical language?"

"I don't put much stock in the Force or Fate, but when it smiles upon you the way it did me, it pays to listen." Johlee told them. Alexander looked around and waved a way a swarm of biting insects.

"Smiled?" He gestured around, "Looks like Fate played one hell of a joke on you, Bindo." Juhani stopped to study a pair of tracks on the ground. Bastila joined her; she was not interested in two men waxing philosophic.

"Maybe." The old Jedi conceded with a smile, "But I'm not the only one."

"Meaning what?" Alexander asked. He and the old Jedi were rapidly becoming bickering partners.

"Look at you, kid." Johlee grinned, "You got the face of a hero, enough charm to seduce a gundark, and a dazzling smile. You were born to make men jealous and women lustful"

"Sounds like Fate was awfully generous." Alex flipped his hair in an overly dramatic way and stared intently to the canopy. A ray of light caught his face and his grinned victoriously. As they passed, Juhani and Bastila glanced at him and gave each other questioning looks.

"Is…is he _posing_?" Juhani whispered to her, "Is there a sculptor nearby?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Bastila told her. They looked at each other for a second before laughing. Johlee waited for the two Jedi to be out of ear-shot before answering.

"No" he responded, "I mean you're a near perfect man and yet…trapped as a Jedi."

"I'm not trapped. I chose this life. " Alexander responded but with less conviction than he had hoped for. Johlee noticed and gave him a sympathetic smile.

"These are the best years of your life, kid." Johlee put a hand on his shoulder, "Don't waste them searching for enlightenment or meditating in a temple. You won't find happiness in a dusty scroll or an ancient saga. Take it from me, life is a young man's game. You'll have plenty of time to be boring when you reach my age, Alex." The young Jedi looked pensive and nodded slowly several times silently. After a moment, a grin erupted on his face and he looked up.

"I find it hard to believe you were ever anything other than boring." He said. Johlee laughed and shook his head.

"Wait and see kid." He chuckled, "I may have a few more reckless adventures in me yet."

"Stick with me, old man." Alex told him, "Things tend to get pretty intense when I'm around. Star-cruisers, sword fights and damsels in distress." Johlee nodded towards their two female companions. Bastila seemed to sense their gazes and looked up. She brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and smiled gently at them.

"I've noticed." He chuckled, "Seems the rules on fraternization have changed since my days." Alex held his gaze for a long time. Johlee could seem a war of emotions playing out in his blue eyes. He saw lust, guilt, hope, anger and a dozen other pass over Alexander's face in seconds.

"I…I don't know what to tell you." Alex sighed eventually, "It hasn't changed. And I need to respect those rules. I'm just a padawan. Who am I to questions the rules of the masters?"

"Don't let a bunch of stuffy men and women in robes tell you how to live." Johlee's eyes burned with passion, "There is only one person who can tell you how to live your life, and you see him in the mirrow everyday. The heart wants what the heart wants. Denying it will only cause trouble."

"It's not that simple." Alex told him, "I don't know what I want." Before Johlee could respond, the young Jed walked away. Johlee nodded to himself and left Alex to his thoughts.

Bastila noticed Alex gazing aimlessly around as he walked and sent a small Force nudge to him. He glanced up and gave her a false smile. Bastila didn't have much experience with reading emotions, but she could tell something was bothering him. The look he gave her confirmed her thoughts but she knew not to press the issue. When he was ready to talk to her, he would. Bastila took a minute to study Alex's injured form.

The young Jedi was still limping and had removed his armored chest piece. His torso was wrapped in a tight bio-weave bandage. Bastila had done what she could to heal his wounds, but they were too extensive and he would just "suffer through it" as he had put it. His body was still flooded with pain inhibitors, and it gave him a slightly slurred wild-eye look.

At first Bastila had been reluctant to even let Alexander accompany them. He was still injured and she had tried to ague, as kindly as possible, that he would be too slow. He had responded with a flirt so outrageous she still found herself flustered by it. Johlee had laughed.

Despite her earlier thoughts, Alexander had managed to keep up with them admirably. He had even fought well, though not as well as he usually did, when the Jedi had stumbled upon a hive of aggressive female Kinrach protecting an enormous clutch of eggs. The "over-grown spiders" as Alexander called them had been felled but their eggs remained untouched.

"Kashyyyk has a way of balancing itself out." Johlee had told them, "Something _will_ eat these eggs, but that nutrition will go on to feed another generation of offspring. Life finds a way."

"That is the beauty of nature." Juhani was being philosophical. Bastila had studied the Cathar for a moment. Since entering the jungle, Juhani had taken on a more feral demeanor. She was still every bit the promising Jedi that Bastila had read of in the training records, but the feline blood of her people was showing. And Bastila knew she wasn't the only one who had noticed.

Alexander threw Juhani a glance and smiled at her. The Cathar smiled back and turned away, a slight blush on her cheeks. Alex shook his head with a grin and grunted as he pulled his way through a tangle of thorn bushes. Bastila watched the exchange silently and felt something in her stomach. She had a good idea what it was, but refused to name it. Her Jedi resolve increased three-fold and she stormed through the foliage. These emotions were ridiculous.

She had been walking, lost in her own thoughts for a little over half an hour when she heard the snap of a branch. Bastila stopped immediately, and studied her surroundings. She reached out with the Force to find the locations of her comrades. Johlee was a few meters away to her left, and Alexander and Juhani were close to ten meters to her right. The sound had come from directly ahead of her.

_Alex, there is something here. _She whispered through her bond. Immediately she felt a shift in the Force from both Alex and Juhani whom she assumed he told. Bastila unhooked her lightsaber and held it in a ready stance.

The foliage ahead of her shifted ever so slightly. Bastila glanced to her right as two figures emerged silently, lightsabers inactive but held at the ready. Again the bushes rustled and the three Jedi tensed. Something emerged. It was small, furry and moved silently. The creature resembled the Dantooine prairie rabbits she had chased in her spare time as a child. It looked up at the three Jedi with curious brown eyes and twitched its nose before deciding that a group of leaves would make a fine meal.

Instantly Alexander let out a sigh and laughed.

"Wow. It's a beast." Alex turned to his friend, "I hear they can be vicious when carrots are nearby."

"Oh shut u-" A roar tore through the jungle and something smashed through the foliage. It moved in a blur of grey fur and aggression. A claw slashed at Alex, and it barely missed. He fell back and hit the ground hard. A second attack took Bastila in the arm, tearing her robes but failing to draw blood. Even still the force of the blow knocked the Jedi from her feet.

Juhani acted instantly, slashing her green lightsaber in a flurry of blows. The creature raised an old vibroblade and blocked. The Cathar bared her teeth and the creature, revealed to be a Wookie, snarled back. Juhani slashed high, aiming for the Wookie's head. It backed away and landed a telling blow against the Cathar with its foot. She staggered but reacted instantly and swung her lightsaber. The energized blade cut fur and flesh from the enraged Wookie. It dropped its vibroblade and clutched at its shoulder in pain. Juhani planted her foot hard on the Wookie's chest and sent it sprawling to the ground.

"Yield!" Juhani hissed with her lightsaber poised to deliver the killing blow. Alexander had recovered and stood beside her as they looked down at the Wookie. He translated what she had said to their fallen enemy.

The Wookie seemed to shrink as it nodded its head. Alexander could see the insanity in its eyes.

"What's your name?" He asked, crouching next to him.

"Alexander!" Juhani hissed with her lightsaber still active. He gave her a hard look and she reluctantly returned her blade to her belt. The Wookie responded in his language, but Juhani distinctly heard the syllables "Freyyr"

"He is madclaw." Juhani suddenly said, "The chief Chuuundar spoke of him. He wants him dead."

"Zaalbar is madclaw too, but he is your comrade." Alex spat, "We will judge by what we see, not by what someone told us they saw." Juhani looked away and sighed.

"I…you are right, Alex." She said at length, "I am sorry. My anger…it still…" Alex unhooked his canteen and handed it to her.

"Take a breather." He told her. He turned his attention back to Freyyr. Juhani took a healthy swig of the bottle and walked a few feet away. Seeing that Wookie attack Alexander had made her so angry. Bastila was suddenly at her side and offered her mute understanding, but that was just and right.

"Chuuundar told my companions to kill you." Alexander told Freyyr honestly. The Wookie nodded slowly as a great sadness filled him. He put his hands to his head and rocked back and forth. He spoke to Alexander in hushed, quick growls. The Jedi's face was impassive.

"What can be done to help you people then?" Alex asked. Bastila overheard him.

"What did he say?" She asked. Alex held up a hand to single for a moment. Bastila bristled at being made to wait. Freyyr responded by lifting his fallen vibrosword. He spoke to Alex and held out the blade. He shook his head and pushed the blade back into the Wookie's hands.

"You are a warrior." He said humbly, "You were betrayed but we will set this right. You have my word." The Wookie nodded solemnly. Alex rose to his full height and turned to his three companions.

"Freyyr is not a madclaw." He said firmly. Juhani flinched a little at his harsh tone. "He was the chief of Rwookrrorro. He is Zaalbar's and Chuuundar's father. Chuuundar betrayed him."

"I knew something was rotten with that Wookie." Bastila said. Juhani threw her a look.

"What? The fact he sold his people into slavery wasn't enough for you?" She almost spat. Bastila threw her an icy glare. The two Jedi glared harshly at each other and the air was alight with sudden tension. Alex was between them in a heartbeat.

"Whoa, easy, easy." He said, "Come on, we're all stressed, hungry and in need of a hot shower and maybe a foot massage." Neither Jedi rose to his joke. After a moment he sighed. He needed to remind them of what they were. Jedi.

"There is no emotion." He turned to Bastila expectantly. She held his look for a moment and sighed.

"There is only peace." Alex nodded and turned to Juhani.

"There is no emotion." He repeated. The Cathar gaze was fiery but she relented.

"Ja'. There is only peace." She said and turned away. Johlee watched the exchange with an impassive stare. His eyes met Alexander's and the look he sent the old Jedi was unmistakable. _Don't start_.

"Chuuundar?" Johlee whispered as he looked down at the Wookie, "Do you remember me?" The Wookie twitched slightly away from Johlee's touch. There was certainly an air of insanity around the Wookie.

"You know him?" Alex asked. Johlee nodded.

"I freed him from slavers." He told them, "I knew then his mind was weakening but I never thought it would go this far."

"His son stole the throne from him." Alex said, addressing the entire party, "His people are enslaved and Chuuundar is reaping the rewards. Such betrayal by loved ones would push anyone to the borders of madness. We will put an end to this."

"How?" Bastila managed. Her previous anger was still at the forefront of her mind. Alex turned to Freyyr and asked. The Wookie looked up and in a moment of lucidity, he whispered something. A name. Bacca.

Alexander nodded slowly in understanding. Bastila and Juhani gave him questioning looks but were throwing glares at each other out of the corner of their eyes.

"What does that mean?" Bastila asked. Johlee glanced at her.

"Legend says that the great Wookie Chief Bacca forged a blade made from the hull of the first star cruiser that crashed on Kashyyyk, back during the Solar Exodus. But the blade was lost."

"He wants us to find it." Alexander spoke quietly, "With Bacca's legendary blade, Freyyr can retake control of his people."

"What happened to the blade?" Juhani asked, "If it was lost thousands of years ago, who knows if it still on Kashyyyk or even if it still exists?" Alexander spoke to Freyyr who stared wide-eyed into nothing and repeated a single word.

"The blade broke in the hide of a beast." Alex face was hard as granite as he observed the mumbling Wookie.

"What beast?" Bastila asked. Alexander turned to her and spoke a name. The color drained from Bastila's face. A hush descended upon the Jedi as Freyyr rocked back and forth, babbling the same word over and over and over.

_Terentatek_

_Terentatek_

_Terentatek_


	6. Kashyyyk Prt V

I just want to say thank you to everyone who reviewed. It really means a lot to me.

Thank you.

"What is this place?" Bastila asked, her voice echoing across the clearing. They had reached the edge of the tree line and stared out into a massive scar on Kashyyyk; a blackened trail, hundreds of meters wide and stretching as far as the eye could see in both directions. The ground was black and ragged. In the center of the clearing was a stone altar. The grey stone was withered with age and its top was stained with aeons old dried blood. Bastila's boot crunched on the ground. she bent down and picked up something. It was flat, smooth and reflected the light delicately. She turned it over in her hands. It was a small, insignificant thing. Juhani knelt down next to her.

"Is that glass?" she asked. Bastila shrugged and dropped the item to the ground.

"I guess." She said and looked around, "What is this place? Really?"

"Wookie legend says this was the _Birthing Ground_, where the Gods first created life." Alex kicked some of the blackened dirt on the ground, "To me, this is an impact crater. My guess is that this is where a transport ship crashed. Perhaps this is where the ancestors of Wookies first arrived, on a Starship. Bacca's blade is said to be made out of an ancestral starship that first brought the Wookies to Kashyyyk."

"They offered sacrifices here, to please their Gods." Johlee put in, "Usually a local animal that was slain and offered up. Right, kid?"

"Yeah, right." Alex's voice was strained. He carried the body of a massive female kinrath over his shoulders. It was their offering; their bait. Alex and Juhani had hunted the creature down, much to Bastila's annoyance. Juhani was a consummate hunter and tracker, but it still ate at Bastila that she had been alone with Alex. It was very un-Jedi of her and she had spent many hours in meditation while her companions were hunting, but the emotions never left.

"Let's get this over with." Bastila said darkly, her mood overshadowed by her feelings.

"I agree." Alex said, "Something about this place feels…unnatural." The four Jedi approached the altar cautiously. From what Bastila could tell, it was a simple stone altar, the kind one might find on any world in the Republic.

"So…we just…leave it here?" Alex asked his companions. Bastila and Juhani simply shrugged. He shrugged back and slammed the heavy corpse on the rock slab. He pulled his vibro-knife from his belt and plunged it into the kinrath's stomach. Bastila turned away as he gutted the creature, leaving blood smeared all over the altar. Then he pulled a small silver canister from his belt and shoved it into the creature's body.

"What are you doing?" Bastilas asked. He held out one of his hand, the one not in the arachnid, and dropped a small remote detonator into her hands.

"Flash grenade." He said with a grin, "I got the idea from when young Mission and I killed a rancor back on Taris. If this…thing wants a meal, it's in for a surprise."

"Ha." Johlee slapped him on the back, "You're something else kid." The Jedi shared a laugh. Bastila couldn't find the situation funny. They were about to ambush a Terentatek.

From what she remembered reading about them, they were nightmares given flesh. They haunted the darkest corners of the Galaxy and preyed on Force sensitive people. Legend had it the Terentatek were bred by the Sith with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing Jedi. And they were about to summon one in the hopes of slaying it. It was beyond madness to her.

Bastila walked with her companions over to a downed tree on the edge of the jungle. There they would wait for the creature to show itself. Bastila found she couldn't keep her peace anymore.

_Alex…? _She spoke through her Force bond to him. Instantly he tensed but did not turn to her.

_I know what you would say, but this is the only way_.

_This is a bad idea and you know it_. She argued, _I am all for freeing the Wookies, but slaying a Terentatek? No Jedi has ever done such a thing. It will kill us. _

_Trust me. It's strange…but I feel like I've done this before_

_We both know you've never done this before. _She told him, but a chill went down her spine. Could he be remembering something from his previous life? Had Revan slain a Terentatek? She gripped her lightsaber tighter; an action a certain older Jedi noticed.

_I haven't gotten you killed yet. _

_There's a first time for everything. _She replied in a half amused, half annoyed manner.

_Is that an invitation? _He finally turned to her and winked. Bastila's face flushed and she turned from her fellow Jedi, cutting their conversation off. She placed her fingers on the bridge of her nose and rubbed. She had walked right into that one, but it still annoyed her. Why did he always hit on her? And why was she starting to enjoy it?

They sat behind the log for what felt like an eternity. Johlee took the time to rest his head and closed his eyes. Juhani was cleaning her lghtsaber with an oiled rag. Her features were constantly twitching as she sniffed the air.

Bastila was bored out of her mind. She used her Force power to dangle a small rock in the air and twirled it around aimlessly. She had tried to meditate, but found that she couldn't concentrate. Her mind and occasionally her eyes kept drifting back to the man next to her. Alex stared out at the altar, his gaze never wavering. He was an island of calm. Her other companions were nervous; they hid it well, but it was still there. Alex on the other hand, had all the worry of a man waiting for an old friend to arrive.

Without taking his eyes off the altar, Alex reached out and placed his hand on Bastila's forearm. He gave it a reassuring squeeze and inwardly smiled when she placed her hand on his. Her skin was cool, soft and delicate. Bastila had no idea why she saw so comforted by his touch. Two days ago, she would have scolded him, furious. But now? Now it was different, and she had no idea why.

Just as the hour mark passed, a sound broke across the Jungle. It was a terrible roar, chilling the blood in Bastila's veins. Something was approaching. Something horrible.

It tore through the jungle, bellowing in rage as it did. It moved like a hurricane, like Nature unleashed. But were Nature has a haunting beauty to it, this creature was rage incarnate. It roared and thrashed, swinging at every branch and critter in its path. It reveled in destruction and death. Bastila felt sickened just being near it. She could sense the thing with her mind. It was oily, and dirty, and left a constant pressure in her brain. This…this abomination was anathema to Bastila's very existence.

In some perverted way, it resembled a human. It was bipedal, and had two arms ending in massive hands. Each finger sported a curved claw, ending in a point sharp enough to cut steal. Its head was wide and elongated, with two curving horns rising high. Legends said those horns were venomous.

The Terentatek stomped over to the slain kinrath and began to tear at its flesh. Bastila cast a weary glance at Alexander. His vision was locked on the feasting monster. In one hand he held his deactivated lightsaber, while his other was held up to his companions singling for patience. Moments crept by as the Terentatek ate.

"Now!" Alexander yelled. Bastila pressed the trigger stud on her detonator. Instantly the flash grenade buried in the kinrath exploded. The entire area was engulfed in blinding white light. Even with her eyes closed, and her hands shielding her face, Bastila's eyes still hurt. She could hear wails of pain from the blinded Terentatek.

"With me!" Alex shouted, and cleared the log in one massive leap. His lightsaber burst to life in a spark of violet light. He sprinted towards the beast, his blade raised to strike. Bastila was less than three steps behind him, her lightsaber in her hands. Juhani and Johlee were a second slower than she was, but they were ready to fight.

Alexander swung his blade down, hoping for a single killing blow. The Terentatek raised a massive claw and deflected the Jedi's blade with easy. It swung its other claw and easily knocked Alex from his feet. Bastila swung her blade over her head and sliced at the creature's exposed side. Her blade flared across its skin, leaving a deep burn mark but nothing more. The Terentatek rounded on her to stare at her. She gasped. Its milky white eyes smoked and blood was leaking from its eye-sockets. It was blind, but had still managed to deflect Alex's perfectly timed attack.

The Terentatek snarled and rammed its armored head into Bastila's chest. The air was knocked from her lungs as she fell, but she quickly was back on her feet. Johlee and Juhani attacked together, their lightsabers striking the creatures back. No blood was drawn. It whirled on the two Jedi who leapt back to avoid its venomous tusks.

Alex was on his feet and surged forward. He raised his palm and sent a massive Force wave at the creature. At best he hoped to knock it slightly off balance. The air around the Terentatek shimmered and the beast seemed to swell in size. Its mouth turned upward in a horrifying grin. It bellowed, sending Alexander's absorbed Force power back at him. Alex tumbled end over end, and hit the ground several meter away.

Juhani snarled and slashed at the creature's arm. Its claw curled in a disfigured fist and struck the Cathar in the face. Her lip split and she tasted copper in her mouth. Her vision swam and the Terentatek followed through with another blow to her chest. Johlee was at her side in an instant, and pushed with all his Force might at the Terentatek. Again its bulk swelled, and its armor split slightly. It unleashed the stolen Force power in a wave of shimmering energy, knocking Juhani and Johlee off their feet.

Alex staggered to his feet and was grateful when Bastila appeared at his side to help. He smiled weakly at her, but her face was set in a grimace. Alex stooped to retrieve his fallen lightsaber and was pleased when he saw it undamaged.

"Any other genius tactics in that thick skull of yours?" Bastila asked breathless.

"Working on it. I'm fine by the way, thanks for asking." He retorted. From across the glade, Johlee called out to them.

"We might as well be shinning flashlights on the damn thing!" He waved his lightsaber above his head. Juhani was on her feet and circling the Terentatek, snarling and hissing.

Alex studied the Terentatek for a long moment. It was growling and baring its teeth at the Jedi. It thumped its hooves and charged directly at Alex and Bastila.

"Move!" Alex shouted, shoving Bastila to the side. The Terentatek moved like quicksilver, eating up the distance between it and the Jedi in a heartbeat. Alex surged the Force through his body and leapt to the side. He was in mid-air when the Force drained from his body and he fell. The Terentatek charged passed, shouldering the Jedi to the ground. Dazed, he stared at the creature as it loomed over him. Its body swelled. Alex could see muscles straining under leathery skin, and slits of blood oozing from tearing flesh as its mass expanded in response to Alex's Force jump. Its bleeding white eyes stared blindly at him and he saw his death reflected in those horrible pearls.

Bastila attacked like a whirlwind, her lightsaber slicing at every weakness she could think of. The Terentatek staggered slightly, more by the ferocity of her blows than any actual damage done. It recovered quickly and back-handed Bastila in the chest. Alex was on his feet and caught her in both arms as she fell. She smiled briefly and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. Under any other circumstance she would have berated herself, but in the heat of the moment it felt like the perfect thing to do.

"I have an idea." Alex said with a sudden grin. Bastila's eyes widened.

"_No!_" She said firmly as a blush furiously kissed her cheeks. Alex couldn't help but laugh.

"You have a dirty mind, Bastila Shan" He smiled, "I was actually talking about our friend here." The Terentatek slashed at the two Jedi with its massive claws. They easily dodged; Bastila noticed the Terentatek was slower than before.

"Wh…what is your idea?" Bastila asked as she danced away from the raging abomination. Juhani and Johlee quickly joined them, and the four Jedi stood together against the armored Terentatek.

"Watch." Alex spoke quietly, "I think this might work."

"You think?" Bastila said incredulously. Alex shrugged and gave her his winning smile.

He strode forward and the Terentatek instantly turned to regard him with its blank eyes. He sucked in a shuddering breath, and exhaled. Alex raised his hand before him. Instantly there air around him dropped in temperature. Bastila's breath froze in white puffs and she could smell ozone all around her. She could sense Alex digging deep into the Force.

Alex could feel the Force building up at the base of his skull, twisting and turning like a coil of lightning confined in a bottle. It was a primal thing, an eldritch energy that had always been there in the back of his mind. Even as a child on his parent's farmstead on Deralia he had felt something. It had given him strength to run faster, work harder and longer. It had saved his life on Ixion, when prescience had turned his head a second before a lasbeam tore through the air. He had always thought himself lucky and slightly above average in athletic ability. Now he knew it for was it truly was.

Raw Force. It was potent, heady, and like his furry, it strained for liberation. He could feel it trying to take control of his body, working its way through bone, tissue and blood but he kept it shackled. He couldn't strike; not yet. The power swelled within, filling his limbs with renewed strength and energy. On numerous battlefields he had felt the temporary boost of stim-packs, but this on an entirely different level. This was caged lightning in the marrow. He could see a blue light emanating from his skin.

Time slowed.

He breathed out and gave his power its release.

The air split in crackling waves of lightning and kinetic sparks. A massive wave of energy with all the strength and furry of a tsunami slammed into the Terentatek. It staggered and screamed and bellowed in rage and pain. Its corrupted form absorbed the entire Force blast. Its muscular body expanded rapidly and uncontrollably. Lightning crackled along its body in pattern-less bursts. Bones broke and tendons snapped under the strain. One shoulder lurched up, cracking through its armored hide to erupt in a fountain of blood and meat. A spike of greasy, bloody bone protruded from its ruined body. Countless tears and ruptures in its skin bled thick black blood. The creature fell to its knees, and clutched one hand to its chest. Part of its torso caved in as ribs turned to jelly. The Jedi could only guess at the horrors its organs were going through.

Alex was left breathless on his knees. Sweat and blood mixed on his face, staining it light red. A series of coughs and shudders racked his body. Blood dripped from his mouth and he spat on the ground. Bastila was at his side in a heartbeat.

"Alex?" She placed a hand on his shoulder, but recoiled when a spark of lightning shocked her. He glanced at her, his face set in a grimace.

"I'll…I'll be alright." He staggered to his feet and met the gazes of Juhani and Johlee who were stunned. The raw power, the show of Force they had just seen was amazing. He had such power, such strength. Alex turned to regard the bleeding Terentatek.

"Its body…" He gasped for breath, "It can't handle the amount of Force power its absorbing." He turned to his three companions, and smiled darkly. "Finish this thing."

"Gladly." Juhani said and strode forward. She buckled her lightsaber away and raised her hands and curled them into claws. Johlee joined her, but only raised one hand and held his palm flat before him. The two Jedi sent waves after waves of Force power into the Terentatek. It writhed and twisted as its disfigured body absorbed their power. Johlee's power gave his body a dull green glow. Juhani's abilities were animalistic and the layers of soft fur across her body stood on end. She glowed as if ablaze.

Bastila studied Alex for a moment longer. She would never have guessed he was _so_ powerful. It had been a terrible display of his abilities; but he had maintained control. It was not hard to imagine Alex as one of the most powerful Jedi in the Galaxy. He took her hand in his, and she was amazed at how cold he was. She held his gaze for a hard second and nodded.

Bastila stood and raised her hands, palms up at the Terentatek. Alex gave her the space she needed. She breathed in deeply, calming her mind and leaving the material world behind. She searched her soul for the power she knew it contained. There! She could feel it coming to the fore of her mind.

All the mantras, and memes, all the catechisms and key-phrases she had learned in her studies came flooding in. Each lesson she had learned, each word she had memorized gave her strength. Tiny flickers of electric discharge danced between the tips of her fingers. She could feel the power building inside her and she grasped it. She could meld it and shape it. Here she had total control. She didn't hesitate; she didn't blush or feel desire. She felt control, and drew strength from it.

She released.

Where Alexander's power had been a wave of wild energy, her strength lied in her control. A spear of pure, solid Force energy tore through the air and plunged deep into the Terentatek body.

The last vestiges of life were blasted from the abomination. Its body heaved and swelled, splinting and cracking. Its bloated form collapsed to the ground and started to shake violently. Its skin was pulled as tight across its body as possible. Small rocks rose from the ground and nearby branches began to shake. The air dropped in temperature and Bastila felt an enormous pressure behind her eyes. The air suddenly went still and all sounds seemed to fade away.

And then, everything exploded.

The force of the blast shook the ground. Trees split, rocks cracked. Bastila was knocked from her feet and flew through the air. She could feel power carrying here meters and meters away. The world raced past her in a blur. The g-force overwhelmed her and she blacked out.

00000

When she awoke, the first thing Bastila was aware of was dampness. Her lower back and legs were wet, soaked even. At first she was horrified, thinking that she had soiled herself. But then the dull ringing in her ears faded and she heard rushing water. Her legs were gently floating in a small creek. She heard a chirp to her side and looked over. A small, multi-colored bird studied her. Its black eyes blink furiously and its head was tilted to one side. It chirped again. Bastila looked down into the creek and scrounged around in the wet sand for a moment. She was rewarded with a small, rounded object. It resembled a world shell and she knew it was some sort of local crustacean. Small black pincers were beginning to emerge but the bird suddenly hooked the shell in its beak and took flight.

For a moment, Bastila let herself relax in the peace of her location. There were no bugs, no predators and no enemies. The sun shinned brightly through a small hole in the looming canopy. It warmed her skin pleasantly and she basked in it. She closed her eyes and let sleep take her.

"Bastila!" The voice cut through the air and she awoke with a start. She heard rapid footsteps and suddenly Alex's face filled her vision. She smiled a sleepy smile and a look of relief crossed his face

"Up you come, beautiful." Alex grinned as he held his hand out to the fallen Jedi. Bastila gratefully took it. She felt a pleasant shiver at how easily she was lifted off the ground. Bastila was put in the mind of the romantic stories she read during her childhood. Right now, Alexander was every bit the knight in shining armor from those stories.

Bastila planted her feet firmly on the moss ground, but it gave out under her weight. She stumbled forward, hands held out to brace her fall. Instead of landing hard on the ground, she fell into the waiting arms of Alexander. Her hands found a place resting on his chest while his arms were wrapped firmly around her waist and upper back. Her head came to rest just under his shoulder. They stood there for several long moments. Bastila felt a lump in her throat at how intimate this position was. Slowly, cautiously, she looked up into Alexander's crystal blue eyes.

Her breath caught in her throat at what she saw. She had expected to see a smug grin, amused eyes and to hear a sexual joke that would infuriate her. But instead she saw concern and patience written across his features. His eyes studied her slowly, taking in every detail of her face. Her heart was hammering in her chest, but she didn't pull away. She couldn't. The look he gave her was paralyzing in its intensity. His eyes were so soft, gentle and comforting that it left her breathless. He had the gentlest smile on his handsome features, and it sent a shiver down her spine. She stared deeply into his eyes, mesmerized.

She saw acceptance, trust, and patience in his eyes. She saw someone who would listen to her problems and hold her at night. She saw a man who would care for her when she was ill, and make every moment blissful when she was healthy. She saw comfort and a desire to protect her. She saw compassion and understanding. She saw self-sacrifice, and a willingness to give his life for hers. His eyes glistened and she felt herself getting lost in their brilliance. She saw everything that she would ever want in his eyes. She loved what she saw. She loved the potential for happiness she was glimpsing. She saw everything that could be…

It _terrified_ her. She felt more terror at the passion she saw then she had ever felt. She was rigid with fear. The emotions she saw were so passionate, so overpowering. Her Jedi mind recoiled and her long buried human woman mind came to the fore. Slowly, as if he was afraid she'd run, Alex reached up and put a hand to her cheek. His gloves were torn from his time in the Shadowlands, and she could feel his rough skin on her face. It was warm, and she felt his warmth smothering her in the most wonderful way.

"Tell me to stop, and I'll walk away right now." He told her, and she knew he meant it. In that moment, Bastila felt a desire to kiss him so strong she wanted to scream. But another part of her mind recoiled at such intimacy. Her Jedi mind railed against her. Every nerve and cell in her brain told her to order him away and lock herself in her room aboard the _Ebon Hawk_. She should lock herself away, and repeat the mantras of the Jedi until she forgot everything. But her heart…Oh, Force damn it, her heart wanted the opposite. The very blood in her veins wanted to be closer. She wanted to hold him, kiss him, _love_ him. She wanted to feel his lips on hers, and ask him to kiss her neck until she went insane with passion and desire. She was torn, as if her heart and brain were pulling her in two different directions.

Alex saw the war in her eyes, the hesitancy. She wasn't ready for this. It was too much. He could see her Jedi training trying to control her, and the shame because it was failing. He smiled sadly at her and nodded his head. He let her go. Instantly they both felt cold.

Alone.

He turned from her.

"'I'll go find the others. They're probably worried." His told her and took a few steps away. Bastila felt her world collapsing around her. What she had seen in his eyes. They had been so passionate, so _real_. How could she possibly deny this? How could she possible _accept_ this?

"Alex…" Her voice was a ghost of a whisper, "Please…I'm sorry" Instantly he stopped, and turned to face her, his face questioning. She shifted her feet uncomfortably. She couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes. His perfect, caring blue eyes.

"Please, don't hate me." She managed, her voice broken with emotion. Alexander's features softened and he smiled sadly at her.

"I could never hate you." He told her and turned away, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Maybe he didn't hate her, but Bastila defiantly hated herself. How could she feel this way? How could she be getting so attached? She sighed and felt tears in her eyes. She glanced at the canopy above her and sighed.

"What's happening to me?" She spoke aloud and in a moment of desperation, she hoped the Universe would answer. All that she heard was an eerie silence, and a small breeze.

Bastila followed Alex through the woods, but kept a noticeable distance from him. They were both lost in their own thoughts, and both knew where the other's mind lay. Bastila felt so conflicted. Her brain and heart were in an all out war. How had it come to this? Her memories of his blue eyes kept crossing her mind, sending chills down her spine and a blush to her cheeks.

After a few minutes they were back in the clearing. To Bastila's relief she saw that Juhani and Johlee were waiting for them. The Cathar's robes were torn around her stomach and shoulders, revealing some of her skin in a way Bastila found very annoying. Johlee nursed a fresh cut across his jaw line but appeared no worse for wear.

"Glad to see you're still in one piece." Alex said cheerfully and clapped the old man across the back.

"Takes more than an exploding Dark Side beast to kill me." He laughed and stretched his back. It popped and groaned, "Damn bones…."

"Good to hear." Alex turned to Juhani and cupped her chin in his hand. He studied a small gash across her face, crossing her nose and ending above her eyes. Alex pulled a small worn tube from his belt and applied some of the healing gel to her face. He was careful and made sure not to hurt her.

"Close your eyes." He said softly. The Cathar obeyed and was grateful the human couldn't notice her furious blush. After a moment he was finished.

"There you go."

"Thank you." She whispered. Juhani couldn't help but notice how close they were. He was inches from her. All she had to do was lean forward and his lips would be hers. No one would notice. She leaned closer and-

"Hey, can I get some of that?" Johlee motioned to the tube in Alex's hand. The Jedi turned to him and tossed it over.

"Knock yourself out." He said dismissively. Alex turned from Juhani who was glaring at her dark skinned companion.

Bastila kneeled by a bubbling puddle of black ooze and gagged at the smell. It was like rotten meat and brimstone. But there was something in the slime. Something shimmering and smooth. She reached down and gently pulled out a blade. It shined gently in the light. She studied the centuries old blade. It looked worn and well used. Alex knelt next to her.

"Bacca's blade." He said unnecessarily.

"Not what I thought it would be." She told him, "It's just a vibroblade. You could buy a better quality weapon in any merchant shop"

"It's not about that. The simplest things are always the most important." His voice was low, and it was obvious he wasn't just referring to the vibroblade. Before Bastila could question him, Johlee walked over.

"Well kid, you did it." He said proudly, "Now that we have Bacca's blade, we can find that map of yours."

"The Starmap, yeah." Alex stood, leaving Bastila to study the blade, "Do you have any leads? See anything…well…um…Starmap-y?"

"I've been thinking about that." The old Jedi replied, "I think I may know what you're looking for. There's this…machine in the Jungle. Czerka scientist unearthed during a mineral dig. It's old. Real old. I snuck into their outpost a few months back to activate it; got stonewalled. If nothing else though, it's a start."

"Sounds like just what we're looking for. Lead the way old man!"

0000000

The jungles of Kashyyyk never failed to amaze Bastila. It existed in a state of constant death, decay and rebirth. Everywhere she looked she could see life in one of those stages. Here a tree had fallen over, filling the air with the stench of rotten wood. But life still thrived. Mushrooms and larvae covered the overgrown log, repurposing its stored nutrients for new life. There a swarm of small buzzing insects hovered around a bush of beautiful jade colored flowers. Bastila knelt and plucked one of the delicate flowers and placed it in her travel pack. She would dry it out later, and keep it as a memento.

All around her, life was in full bloom. She could hear the chirping of new born birds, and the low thump of some massive herbivores just over the hill. She even saw a camouflaged reptile staring at her through lidless black eyes. Even as she took in the wonders of it all, she paused at the violent nature of Kashyyyk. On Dantooine she had been no stranger to death and animals hunting one another. But there it had brief and rare; more often than not she could watch herds of animals roaming the fields with no predators for miles around.

Here on Kashyyyk everything was a meal for something else. She saw two identical spiked insects battling over the bloody remains of…something. A long-tongued amphibian caught and swallowed an arachnid in one gulp. Seconds later a much larger arachnid, an alpha of some sort, struck and injected the amphibian with horrific venom, killing it instantly. Bastila heard a crunch at her feet and looked down. She had stepped on a furry centipede, bursting it open. Even as she scrapped the sticky residue off her shoe dozens of flying and crawling creatures were feasting on the splattered remains.

"Bastila, check this out." Alex was crouched behind a series of bushes, spying on a clearing. Juhani was right next to him, several inches closes than Bastila felt was appropriate. She came up next to her companions and saw what he meant.

It was an outpost of some kind. Or it had been an outpost. The Green had taken it back. Several premade steel barricades and hab-units were spread out in an area about fifty meters in diameter. A lookout tower had collapsed, leaving only a jagged support beam jutting out of the ground. Windows were broken, and doors hung off hinges. A single power generator on the edge of the camp sparked angrily; Bastila figured there was a short in its power-couplings.

"Looks deserted." She whispered. Bastila could tell Alex and Juhani were tense, expecting an ambush.

"Johlee, this the place?" Alex asked. The old Jedi nodded, but was obviously surprised at the state of the outpost.

"Well no point in waiting." Alex strode from their cover, his lightsaber in one hand and blaster pistol in the other. Bastila followed immediately and felt a very un-Jedi like sense of smugness at the look Juhani shot her.

They four Jedi moved cautiously through the abandoned outpost. Bastila held her double-sided lightsaber, inactivated, but ready. She crept slowly, her senses straining to detect any sign of life. She could feel insects, mammals and reptiles but nothing sentient. And nothing dangerous. She came across the corpse of a human, a Czerka trooper by his uniform.

"Alex, I found a body." She called out. The three other Jedi made their way over quickly. Johlee knelt down next to the corpse and turned it over. The man's face was stuck in a silent terrified scream, his eyes wide in fear. His skin was pale and bloodless. Slowly the old Jedi removed the man's helmet and shook his head sadly. A massive bloody hole had been torn through the plasteel helm and deep into the skull.

"Borer beetles." Johlee spat, "Nasty little bastards. Burrows into your head to lay eggs."

"It's moving." Juhani breathed, pointing at the corpse. The man's skull swelled and twitched. Skin was torn in a wave of chattering legs and black carapaces. Hundreds of infant borer beetles burst from every hole or tore new ones in his flesh. The Jedi recoiled in disgust.

"Ja'll ma!" Juhani cursed and turned from the grizzly sight. In a moment of compassion, Bastila placed a hand on the Cathar's shoulder and offered her a tight lipped smile. Juhani nodded thankfully and her eyes softened slightly.

"He didn't deserve this." Alex knelt down and retrieved a handheld flame thrower from the ground. He checked the fuel supply and ignited the pilot light. He turned the weapon on the corpse and covered it in a thick wave of burning chemicals. After ten seconds, he stopped and looked at the pile of ash he had created.

"I hate this planet." He said darkly and dropped the flamer to the ground.

"He was Czerka." Juhani whispered, "He was a slaver."

"He was someone's son!" Alex rounded on her, "A brother perhaps. Maybe even a father. We have no proof he was evil. For all we know, that man was the one honest Czerka officer in the entre Galaxy."

"No one who works for Czerka is innocent." Juhani argued, "The good do not allow evil to exist."

"Fine." Alex picked the flamer back up and thrust it into the Cathar's hand, "Then you can have clean up duty." The Cathar's gaze was blazing but she nodded and took the flame weapon with a snarl. She stalked off to find more corpses.

"Innocent until proven otherwise, eh?" Bastila asked with a gentle smile.

"I just hate senseless death." He motioned to the entire outpost, "What was the point of this place?"

Bastila felt a twinge of sympathy for her friend. He really was just an honest kind hearted man. She put a hand on her shoulder. He smiled at her and reached out to caress her cheek. His hand stopped an inch from her face and the smile fell from his face.

"Sorry." He whispered and walked away.

"Alex." Bastila called after him, but he ignored her. She felt a sudden burst of guilt. What was wrong with her? Somewhere in the distance she heard the dull roar of the flame thrower and she could smell burning fuel in the air.

"Over here!" Alexander's voice called over the outpost, "I think I found the starmap!" Instantly Bastila took off in a sprint. She rounded a corner and came to a complete halt. Johlee and Alex stood before a massive machine. The old Jedi had been right. It was obviously ancient. The jungle had grown all around it, snaking vines and flowers all along the metal components. Juhan joined her a second later, the flame thrower forgotten on the ground somewhere. The two Jedi studied the machine for a long moment. Juhani elbowed Bastila gently in the side and nodded her head in a direction.

"Look. Droids." She said in her thick accent. Bastila followed her gaze and saw two deactivated robots rusting on the ground. They were capsule shaped, with spindly arachnid legs and large weapon mounts. They were rusted and overgrown with vegetation.

Bastila approached the machine slowly. Alex was on his knees at a consol, wiring a bypass. There was a spark and a dull click from a holographic projector. Then the device flashed on and a holographic alien swam into view.

"**Rizz' cár mal vel**" the machine's voice was artificial and emotionless. The four Jedi shared confused glances.

"We don't understand."

"**Hissscark vrecor**" came the response.

"Um…Galactic standard?" Alex asked.

"…**.Korkaaa…Korkaang…korkcessing…processing…**" the voice was finally understandable.

"**Life forms detected…Determining parameters…initiating neural recognition….**"

"Blasted machine." Johlee spat, "I have no doubt it holds the information you seek. Heh. Good luck getting it working."

"Watch." Alex said and wiggled all ten of his fingers, "Magic hands old man. Magic hands." He approached the holographic alien confidently.

"Does he really have magic hands?" Johlee whispered to Bastila.

"How should I know?" She snapped coldly but she couldn't keep a blush from breaking out on her cheeks. Johlee looked taken aback.

"Just figured you'd know." He shrugged and walked away before Bastila could respond. The human Jedi caught Juhani looking at her with a smug grin.

"Don't start." Bastila said and walked closer to Alexander and the starmap.

"**Neural scans complete…Preliminary match found…Please state the nature of your visit** **…**" The synthetic voice returned. A series of lights flickered to life on the control pad.

"What the hell?" Johlee exclaimed, "Match found? Whenever I tried it said 'No match found' or 'Pattern not recognized'. What makes you so special kid?"

"I told you, magic hands." Alex replied with an amused grin. Johlee shook his head in annoyance and glared at the machine. Alex typed a series of commands but was rewarded only with a flashing red light and a hard alarm.

"**Error…access denied…please state the nature of your intentions…**" The machine's voice repeated.

"Heh." Johlee snorted under his breath, "Magic hands my ass." Alex released an annoyed sigh and was about to snap at the old Jedi when he felt a hand on his forearm. The ghost of a smile was on Bastila's face, but her eyes were hard and determined. Alex let his annoyance go and patted her hand once before turning back to the holographic alien.

"I…I um, just want to talk?" Alex asked awkwardly. Bastila coughed with laughter and had to place her hand over her mouth to stop herself.

"Smooth." She said when she had caught her breath, "It's a wonder you don't have millions of females chasing after you. Where did you learn your social skills again? A Hutt breeding pit?"

"I've actually been to one of those" Alex was suddenly cheerful, "It was horrible. I couldn't even look at food for a week. You'd be amazed at all the creative uses for cooked bird they had."

"Enough." Bastila snapped, disgusted and desperate, "I really don't want to hear this."

"There was this one Hutt, massive slug this guy…or girl, it's hard to tell." Alex ignored her completely, "Point is this Hutt took this hunk of cook pheasant and shoved i-"

"Enough!" Bastila exclaimed, "Force damn it, enough! I don't want to hear about the mating habits of a bunch of slugs! Just…disgusting…" She put a hand to a throbbing vein in her forehead.

"I could listen for a little longer…" Johlee said non-chalantly. Bastila shook her head in a disgusted manner and turned back to the holographic display.

"We would like to know more about the Starmap." She told it. The artificial alien turned to regard her.

"**Error…subject displays unfamiliarity to environment…behavioral reconfiguration will be needed before access.**" The hologram flickered off and several lights dimmed before returning to full function. The alien returned, "**I am sorry…I did not mean to confuse you…I will answer your questions to the best of my programming…**"

"What did you mean by behavioral reconfiguration?" Alex asked, stealing a glance at Bastila who shrugged.

"**I have been programmed with a very limited field of knowledge…I must restrict access to those who fit my allowed pattern…**"

"…sure…" Alex responded slowly, "Um, who built this…device in the first place?"

"**Error…corruption of data…extrapolation…**" The hologram flickered for a moment, "**This unit was built to monitor planet wide agricultural reformation…system malfunctioned…likely result would be super-growth of Kashyyyk's vegetation.**"

"I doubt any Wookie would agree to that." Johlee said under his breath.

"Belief is a hard thing to overcome." Juhani put in, "Wookie culture is very superstitious."

"When did this malfunction occur?" Bastila asked.

"**Two-hundred and forty-one years after last Builder communication. Approximately twenty nine thousands six hundred and forty two years from current Republic date.**"

"You're over thirty thousand years old?" Alex asked incredulously, "You knew the Builders?"

"**Error. Data on Builders not available.**"

"Who last accessed this interface?" Juhani asked, slowly approaching the display.

"**Sorting by identity…processing…processing…**" A series of lights flashed briefly, "**Three attempts by Wookie Freyyr; all denied. One-hundred and fifty attempts by human Johlee Bindo; all denied.**"

"Heh. Call me stubborn." Johlee rubbed his arm, embarrassed, "What else is a guy supposed to do around here?"

"Do _not_ answer that!" Bastila pointed a finger at Alexander. She could tell he had a list of terrible activities in mind. He smiled knowingly.

"**Error…list of activities prior to this corrupted…likelihood of user removal…one-hundred percent…**"

"Revan." Alex said darkly; it was not a question. Bastila felt a chill in her spine, but didn't say anything. He turned to her, but she met his gaze with a hard one of her own, betraying no emotions.

"**Error…Data regarding subject 'Revan' corrupted…**"

"But there was an entry before us? Someone gained access?"

"**Error…Data regarding subject 'Revan' corrupted…**"

Alex sighed and put a hand to his head, "The bastard was here. He knew we'd track his steps. He knew we'd come here. He planned this." Bastila put a hand on his shoulder.

"He didn't plan on you." She said softly. He smiled at her before looking back at the holographic alien.

"I seek information on the Starmap." He said boldly.

"**Processing…processing…found…this system does contain an original Starmap…access is restricted…**"

"How can we get access?" Bastila asked. She was losing patience with the machine but she kept her calm.

"**Your request requires additional security clearance." **It looked out at the four Jedi,** "You must be made to match system patterns.**"

"What happens if we don't match?" Juhani asked cautiously.

"**Then you are not worthy of further access. You will be rejected.**"

"What do you mean rejected?" Johlee asked, eyeing the machine with an cautious eye.

"**Information unavailable.**"

"Well, if its anything like my previous rejections, it'll end with a drink thrown in my face and a nice slap." Alex smirked. The Jedi laughed. Even Bastila found herself chuckling with Johlee and Juhani. She was suddenly reminded why Alexander was their leader. When the laughter died down Alex spoke again.

"Begin your evaluation." The machine whirred to life. Multiple cogs and wheels began to turn in slow, rusted circles.

"**Evaluation commencing…results will be compared against pattern in memory core….just act as you should…**"

"**You travel with a Wookie and have encountered complications…Hypothetical: You and Wookie Zaalbar are captured and separated. If you both remain silent, you will each serve one year in prison…However, if you brand Wookie Zaalbar a traitor, he will serve five years in prison. You will serve none…Wookie Zaalbar is offered the same deal…However if you both brand the other a traitor, you will both serve two years in prison…What do you do? What do you trust Wookie Zaalbar to do?**"

"Ah, the prisoners dilemma." Alex chuckled slightly, "Classic. I would trust Zaalbar not to betray me, and I would not betray him in kind." Bastla felt warmed by his answer.

"**Processing…you risk five years' incarceration…are you sure?**" the machine's voice suggested it disapproved, "**Loyalty is dangerous…Wookie Zaalbar could turn on you to receive better treatment….Your answers is incorrect…**"

"No, it's just not the answer you wanted." Alex said stubbornly, "Loyalty is all we have in this Galaxy. Without it, we are doomed. Paranoia, betrayal, secrecy; these things will only lead to the downfall of civilization. It would be a blood-bath!"

"**Illogical…the strong will always prey on the weak…Nature demands it…response incorrect…you must match pattern in memory core…**"

"I'm not going to change my answer." Alex crossed his arms, "Next question."

"**Continuing evaluation…first response dismissed as user error…hypothetical: you are at war. After deciphering an enemy communiqué, you learn that a point in their defenses will be weak in ten days. You also learn the enemy intends to destroy your city in five days…what is the correct action?**"

"Save the city, obviously." Alex responded instantly, "The loss of an entire city's worth of workers, famers, factories, hospitals and Force knows what else is not worth a small defense weakness."

"**Incorrect…in saving the city, you alert your enemies to their deciphered communications…in saving a few thousand civilians, you sacrifice victory.**"

"That's not true." Alex argued, "An entire city's infrastructure can easily turn the tide in any war!"

"**Access denied. You have failed to meet the established parameters.**" The holopgraphic alien switched off, but its voice continued, "**Beginning purge…defenses activated…**"

Instantly the two dormant droids came to life. Old, rusted joints creaked and groaned from being inactive for centuries. A single red lens on each droid flickered on. Rising on old spider like legs, the droids raised old weapon mounts at the Jedi.

"Move!" Alex yelled a heartbeat before the air was torn apart with lasfire. Bastila ducked and rolled behind a small pile of rusted metal. She pulled her lightsaber from her belt and switched it on.

"Does everything try to kill you?" She asked over the din of lasers pelting her cover. Alex, kneeling next to her, grinned.

"You haven't." He said with a fierce smile. She couldn't help but grin back.

"Give it time." She laughed, "I'm sure I'll find a reason to run-you-through.

"Ha! I doubt you could manage such a feat." An explosion rocked the ground next to them. Obviously the droids had missiles of some sort. "Flank left and try to get around them. Use those hovercrafts as cover. Take Juhani with you. Johlee can go right."

"What about you?"

"Me?" Alex activated his violet lightsaber, bathing his face in a menacing glow, "I'm going up the middle!" He leapt from cover and deflected a burst of laser fire. The droids concentrated their fire on him; missiles and lasfire tore through the air. The Jedi moved like water, dodging explosives and laser beams with ease. The ground was chewed up with tracer fire as Alex leapt and dodged the droids auto-targeting. Bastila and Juhani made the most of Alex's distractions and quickly made their way behind the attack droids. The Cathar activated her lightsaber and waited for Bastila to give the order to attack.

Before she could, one of the droids stepped forward and a compartment on it back ground open, revealing a single large racked missile. It launched into the air, and rose several hundred feet. Then at its apex, the guidance system of the missile clicked on and it turned back towards the ground, and the Jedi.

"Concussion bomb!" Alex shouted, "Scatter!" His warning came seconds before the bomb impacted in the soft soil, burying several feet before detonating. The ground was rocked with a small earthquake. Bastila ducked behind a derelict hovercraft as dirt and vegetation rained down around her. There was a ringing in her ears but she could still hear the distinct _crack hiss_ of lasfire.

Seconds later she was on her feet and charged to two assault droids; Juhani was a step behind her. Bastila swung and cut an autocannon mount from one of the droids. Juhani took one arachnid leg from the other. The droids reacted instantly, deploying a series of chainblades and electric prods to strike at the Jedi. The two females easily dodged back, away from danger and waited for an opening. But it never came…

The earth shook violently, throwing the Jedi to the ground. Bastila hit her head hard and was left dazed for a second. Hundreds of birds took to the sky, squawking loudly. The jungle was alive with motion and deafening sound. But as soon as the commotion started, it stopped, leaving the entire area eerily quiet. Even the assault droids paused in their attacks. A series of red and blue flashed lights passed between them; some form of communication Bastila figured. The silence was broken by a loud rumble, deep in the ground. It was the bellow of something ancient. Something vast.

A second tremor shook them, and the ground split open. A behemoth burst from the torn earth in a wave of dust and debris. Bastila shielded her eyes from the dust cloud that engulfed her. She had caught the briefest glimpse of the creature and fear coursed through her veins. When the dust settled she got an un-obscured look at the land leviathan. Its body was that of a common snake, only expanded to monstrous proportions. Its head was a full three spans across, with fangs as long as Bastila's arm. Its entire body was a sickly green color with massive plates of chitin and cartilage providing natural armor. It was a thing of legend. A monster from the very darkest corners of the Galaxy. And it had come for them.

"Sweet Gods…" Juhani breathed from next to Bastila, "An anakkona!" Bastila had only heard stories of them. They were myths. Or at least, they had been until this moment.

The anakkona opened its mouth and let out an earth shaking bellow. The very air vibrated around the Jedi. Bastila put her hands to her ears and felt her teeth jarring in her head. Alexander staggered over to the two fallen Jedi, his hands also on his head. He reached down and helped both Juhani and Bastila to their feet.

The two assault droids suddenly fired upon the beast, obviously perceiving it as the greater threat. Laser fire, pod-missiles and solid shot splashed against the anakkona's thick hide. Reacting on instinct the, the leviathan turned its attention to the two droids and dove. It opened its mouth wide and slammed into the droids with enough force to shatter steal. Sparks and scrap metal flew in every direction as the anakkona tore into the droids. Johlee sprinted over, a look of horror on his face.

"What do we do?" He asked quickly.

"We cannot hope to best this…this thing." Juhani put in, "We have to get out of here." The anakkona finished destroying the droids and turned its massive yellow eyes to the four Jedi.

"I don't think it's going to let us leave." Alexander said darkly and activated his violet lightsaber.

"What are you doing?" Bastlia demanded, "You can't be serious? It'll kill you!" Alex threw her a grin, and Bastila felt a flutter in his chest from the passion she saw in his eyes.

"Only one way to find out." He glanced at the Johlee and Juhani, "Keep it distracted." The anakkona lunged at them, its mouth wide and its fangs glinting in the dull light. The four Jedi threw themselves out of the way with Force assisted jumps. Where Johlee, Juhani and Bastila leapt to the side, Alexander leapt clear over the creature gaping maw and landed on its armored back. It turned its head to follow Bastila and it hissed before striking again.

Bastila leapt back, barely dodging the creatures snapping jaws. She activated her lightsaber and slashed it across its face. She managed to cut chips of enamel from one fang in its mouth and left a burning wound below its eyes. It leered up in pain and she caught a glimpse of Alexander hanging from one of its armored boney ridges. He slashed with his blade, but failed to draw blood. The anakkona rose to its full height, dominating the area for kilometers in every direction.

_What are you doing?_ She asked through her force bond.

_If I can get an opening, I have a thermal detonator with me…_He replied, his thoughts strained. Bastila felt a thrill as his plan became clear. She saw Juhani and Johlee brushing themselves off on the other side of the monster.

"Keep it distracted!" She shouted at them before throwing herself at the creature. Juhani acted a second later, slashing with her green lightsaber. Johlee seemed to hesitate, but eventually he activated his blue energy blade and lunged.

The anakkona reacted as fast a lightning, and swiped at the Jedi with its tail. It moved faster than something of its size should be able to. The Cathar and aging Jedi were hurled back, landing hard on the broken ground. Bastila felt anger swell up within her and she fought to keep it down. The anakkona lunged at her a second time. Bastila leapt out of the way and brought up her lightsaber to slice across the creature's body as it passed. The creature recoiled and part of its body hit Bastila before she could react.

She was thrown to the ground and felt something in her chest break. Pain shot through her body, but she had to fight on. She glanced up and through tears of pain she saw Alexander driving his lightsaber double-handedly into the creatures back. Cartilage and natural armor fell like rain as he carved into the flesh of the anakkona. Bastila staggered to her feet just as the anakkona turned its head almost completely around to regard the Jedi on its back.

"Hey!" She shouted and activated both blades of her lightsaber, "I'm not dead yet." She spat the words and used her Force powers to life a large rock from the ground and hurled it at the creatures head. The rock shattered on contact and its head snapped back to her. It hissed and bared its fangs.

"That's more like it." She smiled darkly and lowered herself into a dueling stance. It lunged and Bastila stood her ground. She brought up her lightsaber in a sweeping arch and carved a hunk of the creature's upper lip from its face. Blood sprayed out in a wave, coating the ground.

The monster hissed at her, its oily red tongue tasting the air at her feet. Bastila was disgusted and slashed with her lightsaber. She managed to singe a tip from its forked tongue and it recoiled. The anakkona snapped at her. Had Bastila been a lesser Jedi, it would have eaten her whole. But Bastila was one of the most gifted Jedi in existence. She swung her lghtsaber in a wide ark, slicing the leviathan in the eye and down its wide face. The heat from her lightsaber burned its eye shut and left a cauterized wound all the way to its jaw. The creature moved like quicksilver and raced past the Jedi. Bastila plunged her lightsaber into its passing form, tearing bone and cartilage. Her lightsaber shook violently as she forced it deeper into the anakkona, hoping to rip it open and kill it.

She didn't notice the leviathan's tail approaching.

"Bastila!" Juhani's voice was a shriek, but it was too late. The human padawan glanced up in time to see a single spike of bone seconds from impaling her. The creature was moving whipcord fast; almost too fast to react. _Almost_.

Bastila threw herself back, with all the Force enhanced agility she could muster. But it was too little, too late. She could only watch in horror as the tip of the spike raced towards her faster than she thought possible. It slashed across her stomach, tearing her robes and ablative mesh weave under it; and tearing her skin.

For a second there was no pain. Bastila looked down at her ruined stomach with idle curiosity. It didn't feel like hers. She felt different; numb. She felt like she was watching someone that looked exactly like her. She felt the warm blood flowing over her fingers. She gently traced a finger around the tear in her flesh, noticing the ragged edges of her ripped flesh.

Strangely her thoughts drifted to food. It was curious that in her moment of death, this would be her final thought. For the briefest moment, she wondered if she would ever have another meal. She hoped so. She wanted a nice, quiet meal; just her and Alexander. No candle-lights, and no sappy music and no annoying crewmates. Just a simple hunk of meat, a slice of bread and maybe a vid to watch. And some wine, if she felt particularly courageous. The thought warmed her.

Then there was pain. Bright, and unforgiving. It seared itself into her mind, destroying all rational thought. All of her hopes, dreams, fears and memories were blown away to be replaced by the terrible, crippling agony in her mind. It engulfed her like water, submerging her in an ocean of agony. She screamed as blood flowed freely down her legs and her vision was rapidly fading. Her knees buckled and she fell into darkness.

Alexander felt sympathetic pain through his Force bond with Bastila. She was hurt, badly. He needed to finish this monster quickly. He slashed one last time at its body and finally cut down into its flesh. Blood ran quickly and the anakkona screeched. It jerked violently, trying to shake the Jedi off. Alexander gripped a ridge of bone and managed to stay aboard the leviathan. He pulled the thermal detonator from his belt. He had taken it from Calo Nord's body. He primed the orb of death and with a roar of anger, he leapt from his position. He threw the metal orb into the wound in the creatures back. It splashed in the monster's blood and caught on some torn muscle fibers.

Alexander let go of the anakkona and let gravity take him. A split second later the detonator exploded. The sound was deafening, and the shockwave threw Alex in the air like a rag-doll. Blood, meat and bone rained down like a typhoon and the leviathan writhed on the ground as it died. Half of its back was gone, leaving only a charred spine and smoking meat showing. It gurgled as blood pooled from its mouth.

Alex hit the ground at speed, and rolled to come to his feet. He wasted no time watching the creature die and sprinted towards Juhani who held Bastila in her arms. The Cathar had a bandage pressed to Bastila's stomach but it was rapidly soaking up blood. Juhani was speaking words of encouragement to the injured Jedi.

"Bastila!" Alexander yelled and slid to a knee next to her. He pressed his hand on her bandage, desperate to stop the flow. He channeled his Force power through his hand, and into her injured body. He pulled his replacement transmitter from his belt and switched it on, "Carth, get the _Ebon Hawk_ in the air and home in on my position. Now!"

There was a brief pause before the pilot's static laced voice responded

"Engines hot. ETA three minutes. What's happening?"

"Just get here!" He snapped, "And tell that damn Mandalorian to prep the med-bay for a battlefield injury." He cut the link and turned back to Bastila who was growing paler by the second.

"Hey, stay with me." He told her. Bastila's eyes opened slightly and blood trickled from her lips.

"I…I won't go far." She said. Despite the situation, he laughed.

"Damn right you won't." He smiled and placed a hand on her cheek, "I'm not letting you go anywhere without me. I'll always be by your side." A ghost of a smile crossed Bastila's face.

"Do you promise?" She asked weakly.

"Absolutely." He told her. She nodded and her head rolled gently to one side. Alex turned his communicator back on. "Carth!"

"En route!" was the clipped reply. Bastila suddenly turned and looked at Alex.

"Will…will you be there when I wake up?" She asked, showing blood stained teeth in a crooked grin.

"I promise." He whispered. Bastila nodded and heard the roar of engines approaching. The wind picked up and a massive shadow fell over them. She saw the bulk of the Ebon Hawk slowly lowering to the jungle floor. She closed her eyes and saw nothing else.


	7. Ebon Hawk Prt I

Peace…

A rhythmic hum muffled through pain suppressants and a sleep locked mind…

A calming voice, similarly distorted. The words are lost, but the tone is comforting…

Something beeps insistently in the background…

A pale face appears, blurred through tears. The features are indistinct, the expression indiscernible…

Lips on her cheek. They are soft, and cool….

She feels a flutter in her stomach…

A hand is laid upon her shoulder, caring, hopeful, nurturing…

Even loving perhaps…

_Fire and blood crashed through the peace. Fire from massed artillery strikes igniting the air; blood from the countless mangled bodies at her feet. The air is filled with a terrible cacophony of nose; screams of the dying, barked commands from officers, shouts of hate and curses, the hard hiss/pop of lasfire, roar of jet engines and grav-tanks, and deafening explosions. A flight of Republic tactical bombers soared overhead. A dozen figures, their faces hidden behind silver helms ran past. Guns are loaded, bayonets are fixed. Grenades are primed, heavy weapons are cycled up to speed. Tanks charge towards distant battle-lines. All around her is a whirlwind of activity. All around her is war. _

_She stood, motionless, in a trench. The dirt was a deep, rich brown. Blood pooled on the ground, mixing with a steady downpour. Bastila ducked involuntarily as an explosion tore through the ground above her. To her left a bipedal scout walker staggered as high-caliber rounds pounded its armored form. To her right a series of half-tracked troop transports rolled over the trench system, filled to the bursting point with fresh troops. The sky was filled with hundreds of assault-landers and cruisers. Explosions blossomed in the stars, and she could see the faint traces of titanic starship lances in the sky. _

_Her mind raced, trying to grasp some semblance of reason. Had she died? Her wounds had been grievous, but she hadn't expected to die. And where was she now? Was this Hell? Looking around Bastila could well believe this was a vision of Hell. Constant, unending warfare. Nothing could be more horrific. Still Bastila didn't feel like she was in Hell. There was no pain, at least not on her part. There was only a curious detachment. Fires blazed all around, and she could see a harsh wind scouring the land; she felt none of it. She was, for lack of a better term, a ghost. _

_She knew this feeling. Bastila had felt it before. A sense of wonder descended upon her. She heard footsteps behind her, and turned slowly, afraid of what she'd find. Her fear was personified in who stood before her. _

_Revan…_

_He wore dented and battle scared combat armor. His blood stained face was set in a frown. He had no decorations of any kind. He didn't look like a hero, or a great tactical genius or even a Jedi. He looked like a soldier, like any one of millions of footsloggers in the Republic Army. The only thing that set him apart from the rank and file was the lightsaber strapped to his belt. Bastila stared at his face in mute shock. His handsome features were set in a grimace, one she'd only seen in the direst of circumstances; during the bombardment of Taris and at both the Starmaps of Dantooine and Kashyyyk. _

_A handful of figures accompanied him. A few were obviously Jedi. There wore the robes of the order and like Revan's armor, their robes showed signs of violent conflict. Another man, a dark and imposing figure with a bionic eye wore the pitch black armor of a Republic Commissar. His face was painted with disgust as he studied the corpses filling the trench._

_Revan knelt down next to the body of a fallen trooper. He sighed and closed the dead man's eyelids._

"_Be at peace." He whispered. When he stood, Bastila could see the sorrow in his eyes. Despite herself, she felt an overwhelming need to comfort him. She reached out and her hand passed right through his face. This was Hell. She was convinced. To be next to the man she wanted and needed to comfort, only to be denied his touch. _

"_What should we do Revan?" One of the Jedi, a hard faced Twi'lek asked. Revan turned to his followers. _

"_Val, Kesper, search the trench system." Revan's voice was soft but was easily heard over the din of battle, "Find any survivors. Do what you can for the lighter wounds, and signal evacs for the serious. We must save all that we can." The two Jedi nodded and jogged into the dust to follow his orders. _

"_Shit awful job General Faris has done here." Revan said darkly, looking at the mangled bodies in the trench. A spark of memory flashed in Bastila's mind. She had heard of General Faris. He had been a rather lackluster General in the Republic. He had died during the defense of Osniom in the latter stages of the Mandalorian War. But sadly not before giving several horrendous orders that had left the entire planet open to attack and tens of thousands dead._

_Suddenly it all made sense. Bastila knew where and when she was. _

_This planet was Osniom, a capital world on the eastern fringes of the Outer Rim. This was five years ago, during the Mandalorian War. She was in the middle of one of the bloodiest battles of the entire war. The Republic had suffered terrible loses for a minor victory. _

"_Had I been stationed on this blasted planet, I would have put a lasround through Faris' useless brain ages ago." The Commissar grunted and looked down at the blood remains of a Republic sergeant, "Such a waste of military recourses." _

"_Lives, Kurt." Revan chided firmly, "Such a waste of lives. Resources I can deal with loosing. But so many sons and daughters…if we ever find Faris, I want him alive. He must stand trial for this…massacre."_

"_Keep him away from me then." The Commissar said, "I will kill him." _

_A figure suddenly leapt over the lip of the trench and slammed into the muddy ground. The body rolled for close to a meter before coming to a halt on her back. The trooper's chest rose and fell furiously. She wore bloodied Republic armor, almost identical to Revan's suit. But where Revan wore the off white of a fleet trooper, this woman wore the deep blue of a Planetary Defense trooper. _

_Revan was at her side in an instant and offered a hand to pull her up. She accepted and stood on shaking legs. It took a moment for the trooper to gather her wits enough to look around. _

"…_Thanks…" She managed through gasps. _

"_Are you injured?" He asked and produced a small medkit from his belt. The woman waved it away._

"_Someone needs that more than me." She said, "I just need to catch my breath." Revan waited for the woman to calm down for a moment._

"_Report" Revan said over the din of explosions. The female trooper removed her helm and let it fall to the muddy ground. Her short cropped blonde hair clung to her face. _

"_It's a shit-storm out there, Sir. The Mandalorians have us pinned down. Heavy artillery and gun emplacements cover the entire northern approach." She put a hand to her forehead and shivered, "Damn Gatling blaster nests tore through my platoon. The Mandalorians have heavy armor prowling the whole area sir. Massive fucking battle tanks, sir. Never seen the like before. They're also deploying jump-pack assisted anti-armor units all across the field. Our armor is getting popped before getting a single round off." _

"_Numbers?" _

"_Couldn't say sir." She replied, "Too damn many."_

"_Looks like we're going to have to trim those numbers down. " He smiled darkly, "Even the odds a bit. Replenish your ammo and grenades trooper. We're going hunting."_

"_Sir…I um…" The woman hesitated looking at the bullet riddles bodies all around her. _

"_The Commander just gave you an order, trooper!" the stern faced Commissar barked. His voice was harsh, like grinding stones. Reven held up a hand and the Commissar backed off._

"_What's your name?" He asked the female trooper._

"_Vines, sir." She saluted, "Corporal Carra Vines."_

"_Why do you hesitate, Corporal Vines?" _

"_I…are we going to live through this sir?" She asked, "The Mandalorians are tearing through us. It's like we're wearing paper. We lost all of 5__th__ Regiment, and nearly half of 8__th__. It's a slaughter out there…I…don't want to die." As if to underline her point, a tracked battle-tank further down the line exploded in a blossom of fire and shrapnel. _

_Revan studied the woman for a moment. She held his gaze and a look of understanding passed over his features._

"_You have someone waiting for you?" He looked at her, his eyes filled with compassion. The woman nodded slowly._

"_A fiancé." She admitted, "He's a pilot in the 81__st__ Tactical Command Starfighter Squadron. He's somewhere up there, fighting." She motioned to the sky, which was filled with fighters and star cruisers, "We…we are to be married when the war is over, on my homeworld." _

"_Where is that?" He asked._

"_Uh…Turia, sir." The trooper replied awkwardly, "It's an agricultural world, in the Galactic south."_

"_I know it." Revan nodded approvingly, "Very fine livestock raised there." _

"_I…yes sir." She replied and looked around nervously. An explosion lit up the sky like a second sun; a starship had exploded in orbit. The trooper stared up in dismay and her shoulders sank. Revan's eyes narrowed._

"_Are you afraid?" He asked the woman. The trooper was shocked for a moment, before she looked away, shamed. _

"_Yes." She admitted. Instantly the Commissar at Revan's side pulled out his blaster pistol and aimed it at the female trooper. _

"_Cowardice spreads like a plague. It must be dealt with at the source." The Commissar snarled and fired. There was a flash of movement and a blur of green energy. Revan stood before the female trooper, lightsaber in hand. The Commissar's blast deflected harmlessly into the trench wall. _

"_Sir?" The Commissar exclaimed, his face paling at firing upon his commanding officer. Revan advanced upon the Commissar. _

"_Cowardice and fear are not the same, Kurt." He said darkly and deactivated his weapon, "You and I both know this." He turned to the stunned woman behind him, "Trooper, will you fight?" _

_The woman shuffled uneasily and looked at her worn blaster rifle, "If I must sir." _

"_What are you fighting for?" His smile was legendary. Bastila knew it all too well. It was the smile she saw every time she closed her eyes. It warmed her. It comforted her._

"_For the Republic sir." The Corporal's answer was instant. Rehearsed. Revan chuckled and shook his head._

"_There are no cameras around here, Corporal Vines" He motioned to the trench, "No journalists and no officers who will demerit you." These last words he said while looking at the Commissar, "What are you really fighting for?"_

"_I…." Vines took a moment to think, and a slow smile creased her face, "My fiancé sir. My future." Revan put a hand on her shoulder._

"_Fight for him, as he fights for you." He pointed to the heavens, at the endless stars, "Earn that peaceful wedding on Turia. Fight at my side, today and now, and I'll see that you and your fiancé are on the first transport out of this system." The trooper's eyes blazed with renewed purpose. She would fight and she would win. Bastila could see it in her eyes. The woman would follow Revan into Hell itself and all he had done was remind her of why she fought. What she had to gain from victory, and what she lost in defeat. _

"_Yes sir!" The world faded into a blur of shapeless blobs and muffled voices. Bastila felt an enormous force pulling her into darkness. The corners of her eyes dimmed, but she fought to stay. She wanted to watch the battle unfold. This was history in the making. Perhaps it was this battle that lead to Revan's fall to the Dark Side. She had to know. She had to see this! _

_A voice called to her, distant and muffled. She strained to make out the words. It was her name. Someone was calling her name, dragging her away from these memories. Despite barely hearing the voice, she had a good idea who it was. She smiled and let the darkness take her. _

00000

Bastila awoke with a start. Light flooded her eyes, piercing and bright. She tried to cover her face with her hand, but she couldn't move. With growing panic Bastila realized she was completely paralyzed. She couldn't feel her toes, her hands, even her own face.

"Welcome back." The same voice from her dream greeted her. Alexander's handsome face appeared above her. For a moment her body was forgotten.

"Did…did I go…somewhere?" Her words were awkward and slurred; an obvious effect of medication.

"Very nearly." Johlee's deep voice carried over to her. Bastila managed to raise her head and saw the old Jedi leaning up against the far wall. Bastila took the moment to study her surroundings. She was on her back in the Ebon Hawk med-bay. Several of the ship's automated surgical arms dangled above her. She became aware of a beeping and saw that she was hooked up to heart monitor. She glanced at Alexander and saw a blood red tube sticking in his arm at the elbow. The tube snaked into a whirring machine and then into Bastila herself.

"You…you have a…thing…" Bastila tried to raise her hand but she was still unable to move.

"Yeah Bas, I do." Alex smiled gently, "You lost a lot of blood and we had to get you some more. I couldn't let you die." She noticed his eyes had dark circles around them and his skin was paler than usual. He looked tired, as if he had been up for days straight.

"…thank…you." Bastila nodded slowly, "Why…why can't I…?"

"We numbed your spine while you were out. We couldn't risk you tearing your stitches when you woke." Johlee stepped over, "You were in pretty rough shape. We feared you weren't going to make it." The old Jedi slapped Alex on the back, "Alex here nearly drained himself dry providing enough blood for you until the Ebon Hawk's medical programs could finish their surgeries."

Bastila opened her mouth to speak but only an unintelligible string of syllables escaped her lips.

"Try not to speak." Alex leaned over, "You're still heavily medicated." Alex took her hand in his and used his thumb to rub. She smiled gently at him and offered a lazy wink. He winked back and the message was clear. _Thank you…_

"This old war-horse is going to get some shut eye." Johlee made for the exit and threw one last glance over his shoulder, "Glad to see you're doing better, Bastila." With that he left the infirmary and closed the sliding door with a hydraulic hiss.

"You should get some rest too." Alex said, "You're still very weak."

"…think you…may…be…right…" Bastila smiled in a sleepy, drugged way. Alex chuckled and placed his hand on her cheek.

"You have no idea how worried I was." He said, "I couldn't do this without you."

"I know." She said smugly, "I'm…I'm the best…thing…in…in…your…life…" Alex leaned down so his face was merely inches from hers. In her clouded state of mind, Bastila could on feel a thrill of anticipation as he leaned closer.

"You are…" His voice was low and husky, warming her face pleasantly, "the best thing in my life." Bastila felt her heart beating in her chest like a drum. After a moment Alex leaned back and grinned.

"You're also a complete pain in my ass, and a stuck-up bitch." He said, offering her an innocent smile. Bastila faked a pained expression and chuckled.

"And…and…you're an arrogant…immature… man...man-child." She responded, "…you're…not…as…as charming…as…you..thi…think…" Alex gave a bark of laughter and shook his head as he laughed.

"Maybe." He said after a moment, and reached out to touch her cheek, "But you have to admit, I am pretty damn charming."

"Never" Bastila eyes were filled with a fiery challenge and innocent playfulness. A pleasant silence descended between the two Jedi, each lost in their thoughts. After a moment, Bastila felt her eyelids growing heavy. She knew she was moments from passing out, but she looked over at Alex.

"Is…will…there…be…damage?" Alex gave her a questioning look and she nodded towards her stomach, "Am…am I…going…to…?" Alex placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head.

"There was no spinal damage, and only minor internal organ damage. We got you here in time though. The Ebon Hawk's medical programs fixed you up good and proper." He was clearly still haunted by her injury, "You'll make a complete recovery, no permanent injuries. You may not be able to eat really crunchy food for a few weeks, though. You'll also have a rather nasty scar on that cute stomach of yours." Bastila blushed, but was relieved that she would be fine.

"…thank you…" She struggled for a moment and managed to move her hand. It was like moving with her body encased in molasses, but it was movement none the less. She placed her hand on his and smiled at him. "You…you saved me…I…I am…" her words trailed off as her mind slowed from the medication. Her head nodded to one side and she closed her eyes.

"Get some sleep." Alex whispered and kissed her cheek, "You need to rest up so I can save you again." Bastila smiled a sleepy, amused smile.

"Smart-ass." She grumbled, and a heartbeat later sleep had taken her again. Alex took a moment to study her sleeping features. She was so beautiful. Her brown hair haloed her angular and striking face. When she was asleep, her beauty was magnified. She was so peaceful, so serine when she was asleep.

Alex pushed a series of button on the medical stasis machine by her bed. While she slept, the automated Ebon Hawk medical programs would re-dress her wounds and apply another layer of synthetic skin weave to her. And he made sure to lower the level of anesthetics to a moveable level. Last he entered a command prompt to inform him via his communicator of any changes in her condition, good or bad.

With regret he pulled the blood-transfer tube from his arm and placed a piece of gauze on the entry point. Bastila was out of danger for now. The Ebon Hawk could synthesize some artificial blood for her if need be, but her own body would begin the process of creating its own. Alex stole one last loving glance at his sleeping partner and left the med-bay. He had a friend to go rescue.

00000

_This time the dream was calmer, and much quieter. The room was dark and dusty and carried the knowledge of ages in torn scrolls and parchments. Pale blue light flickered from a lonely computer terminal tucked away in a corner. Dull illumination-globes hung from the ceiling, bathing the room in a pale brownish gold. The air was stale, but it was also comforting. _

_It was familiar. _

_Bastila knew this room. She had spent countless hours studying here. This was the Ancient Library; a room rarely visited in the deep levels beneath the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Most of the Galaxy knew about the extensive state-of-the-art public library on the ground floor of the Temple. It was said by the arrogant librarians that every piece of knowledge in existence was stored there. _

_Bastila knew this to be a lie. Most of the Jedi did. It was a delicious story told to wide-eye youngsters and sight seers. And as far as the librarians knew, it was the truth. Very little could not be found in the meter high data-crystals lining the walls. But there were some things that should be kept secret. _

_In these hidden halls were stored facts, stories, rituals and enchantments that were to be kept by the Jedi and the Jedi alone. The true cause of the Red Pox outbreak on Therion, the fate of General Artemis and the 12__th__ Republic Marines Regiment, the apocalyptic writings of the mad prophet Xarl Metericus, and countless more secrets too dark to name; all these things shared a common thread. The Sith. The Dark Side of the Force had been at the core of some of the worst disasters and wars in Galactic history. Here in the Ancient Library, those deeds and the names of those who perpetrated them were stored. Bastla had spent a long time here, studying the ancient scrolls, trying to find a reason for Revan's fall. And perhaps, even a way to reverse it. _

_The door at the end of the hall slid open, and the black silhouette of a man stood illuminated by the light outside. _

"_They are ready for you." The figure said. His voice was deep and grating, like two rocks colliding. At first Bastila was stunned. Could this man see her? Who was he? Who were they? Then out of the corner of her eye, Bastila saw movement. She spun on her heel in time to meet the same chest she had found so comforting only a few hours before. _

"_They have decided then?" Revan's voice was quiet, reverent even. His face was younger, smoother. War had not aged him beyond his years yet. The scar that had decorated his face since the day Bastila had met him was gone. Even his eyes had a certain appealing innocence to them. He was just as soft and calm as any padawan or young knight. The ghost of a smile played on his lips, and it made Bastila's knees weak._

"_I am unsure." The man stepped into the shadows. Bastila wasn't the least bit surprised or reassured to see Malak's hard features. He too was younger, but instead of the youthful innocence that Revan had, Malak radiated cold annoyance and wounded pride. His brown eyes studied Revan with a mixture of envy and friendliness. _

"_Best not to keep them waiting then." Revan smiled slightly and strode through Bastila and over to the end of the room. Bastila was on his heels, shadowing his every move. "Are you going to be there?" _

"_Try to stop me." Malak grinned back, "Like I'm going to let you take all the glory." _

"_This was never about Glory, Mal." Revan put a hand on his friend's shoulder, "This is about saving lives. Giving back to the Galaxy. Protecting the innocent." He paused, "Any maybe wrangling a three-way with some Twi'lek twins." _

"_That's what I like to hear!" Malak laughed and slapped Raven on the back. As they left he turned back to the now empty halls of the Ancient Library. "Why do you spend so much time in here? Too good to spend time in the dormitory?"_

"_Not good enough." Revan said as they walked, "Besides I like it in there; it's calm, quiet. And it never hurts to brush up on the temptations of the Dark Side."_

"_Rev, please." Malak shook his head and chuckled, "There hasn't been a Sith for thousands of years. And no Jedi has turned in what, eight hundred years?"_

"_Still, it doesn't hurt to be prepared. Another Jedi might fall."_

"_Sure. Jedi fighting Jedi. That's something to worry about." Malak laughed, "The impossible is nothing to be afraid of."_

"_You never know." Revan thought for a moment and then grinned, "What if Ma'lira turned?" _

"_Ohhh that woman…" Malak looked into the distance and smiled lovingly, "If she's not already part of the Dark Side then she will be soon. Only a Sith could even think to do what she does. So flexible…" _

"_So you've said." Revan looked around at the other Jedi in the halls they walked through, "You two better be careful. I heard the last two Jedi to break the Code for a little play were exiled." _

"_Revan, pal, if you ever love a girl, you'll know some things are just worth fighting for." _

"_And a bendy Keshiri is worth the risk?" Revan asked with a knowing smile._

"_Damn right she is." Bastila studied the two Jedi in mute shock. This was a side of Malak and Revan she had never imagined existed. These two were not war heroes, they weren't Sith Lord. Force damn it, they were barely Jedi! This was not how two of the most famous, or notorious, Jedi in this age acted. This was a conversation more suited for a boarding-school. What Bastla saw here shocked her. This was a friendship forged through shared trials, and brotherly love. This Malak, this friend of Revan, would never consider killing his friend. Never consider the genocide Bastila knew he would commit. What had happened to them? How had they turned?_

_These questions and more plagued Bastila's mind. These dreams, these memories she saw in her sleep were as enlightening as they were frightening. She had uncensored access to Revan's very memories, albeit uncontrolled access. But the more she understood and learned, the darker and scarier the Galaxy became. She knew Revan would never turn on the Jedi without good reason. He would never betray the Republic unless he had no other choice. If she dove too deep into the memories, if she learned what he had learned…would she…?_

_Her thoughts were interrupted when the two ghosts she was following stopped. They were at a grav-lift, one of many that dotted the Jedi towers. But this wasn't an ordinary lift. This was the lift. She knew where this lift led. She knew who waited at the top of this tower._

"_I've always hated these things." Revan muttered, "Makes me dizzy. Why can't they have their chambers on the bottom floor?"_

"_Where would be the legendary Jedi humility in that?" Malak motioned to the ceiling and the tower beyond, "Don't forget, we need a massive temple like this to prove to the Galaxy what humble people we are." _

"_How in the name of the Force did you become a knight?" Revan chuckled at the conceit in his friend's voice. _

"_Good looks and charm." Malak shrugged. _

"_I should be a master by now then." Revan dodged the half-hearted swing for his face and chuckled. Malak chuckled with him. Even Bastila found herself smiling and suppressing a laugh as the grav-lift finally arrived. _

_The world warped and span, throwing shapes and colors she had never seen in her face. Voices came and went; whispered words and conversations too indistinct to understand. There was blackness, and then light. _

_When the world cleared, Bastila stood in the center of a bright room. She knew this room too, although she had only been in it twice. It was circular and the walls were shining windows, looking out on an endless city. Hover cars and transports zoomed by. _

_Before her were twelve of the most experienced, wisest and noblest of all the Jedi. The Jedi Council of Coruscant. These twelve were some of the most loved, respected, feared and hated individuals in the entire Galaxy. Through them peace was maintained. Through them justice was delivered. Through them the Republic was kept safe, and prosperous. _

_Revan and Malak stood side-by-side in the center of the room. Neither looked nervous, despite being in the presence of Masters of the order. _

"_Revan, Malak, good of you to come so promptly." One of them, an old and withered Rodian said by way of greeting._

"_This is an important matter, master." Revan replied carefully. _

"_Indeed it is." This voce was from a man Bastila knew. Master Vandar studied the two Jedi before him with a calm, approving eye. _

"_You have…decided?" Malak's voice was hesitant. _

"_Are you so eager to run off to war, young Malak?" A human, Master Axarl Val, asked in his trademark gruff manner. _

"_Too much Axarl, too much." A beautiful and elegant Balosar soothed, "These two are eager to save lives and prove themselves to the Galaxy. That is not something to reprimand. It is something to admire." _

"_Aliza, Axarl, enough." An old and heavily bearded man whispered, "We have already discussed this." _

"_That we have, Ezer." Vandar said and turned to the two young knights, "Revan, Malak the council was unanimous. The Mandalorians pose too great a threat to the Galaxy for the Jedi to not intervene in force."_

"_We are sending you to the fringe, along with two hundred of our best and bravest knights. A few of the more impressive padawans will also join you, but they are not to be allowed into combat without their knight trainers." The Balosar, Aliza, was firm on this point. Both Malak and Revan nodded. Bastila could see the excitement in their eyes. It boiled and brewed just under the surface, but it was there and it was potent. _

"_We do not have to tell you about the seriousness of this situation." Ezer spoke again, "Many Jedi will die. Many of your friends will die. There can be no avoiding that outcome. But the Republic and the safety of the Galaxy must come first."_

"_I understand, master." Revan said solemnly. _

"_Very well then." Vandar said, "At first light tomorrow report to the Bizcar ship yards in orbit. A refitted cruiser, the Remarkable, will take you to join the Republic Fleet massing in the Kepler system."_

"_Go and pack you things, young knights." Aliza smiled at then and bowed her head, "And may the Force be with you." _

"_May the Force be with you." Malak and Revan replied in unison. _

0000000

Bastila drifted back to consciousness. She felt warm and safe. Her stomach ached but it was ignorable. Instantly she was aware of her limbs and moved her hand to rub her blurry eyes. There was someone in the room with her, with their back to her. She heard grumbling and a deep male voice. She smiled.

"Mmmm…Alex…" She whispered and shuffled slightly in her bed. The man chuckled and turned to face the prone Jedi.

"I ain't your lover-boy, princess." The man replied. Bastila's heart dropped and she groaned in annoyance.

"What are you doing here Canderous?" Bastila was in no mood for the Mandelorian or his spiteful jokes.

"Your boyfriend asked me to look after you while he is off the ship." The Mandelorian chuckled as Bastila's face paled. He approached her and leaned down, "I'll be keeping you company for hours." Bastila felt anger surge inside her. Of all the people in the Galaxy, Alexander chooses Canderous Ordo to watch her? She would give her friend a piece of her mind when he got back.

"Hist, Canderous!" Juhani's accented voice was harsh and clipping, "You jor'gal! Angering Bastila when she's wounded." The Cathar approached her fellow Jedi and smiled kindly down at her, "Alexander asked me to look after you and make sure you're comfortable. Canderous is here, I imagine, finding a stamina stim for his shriveled manhood."

Bastila laughed and blushed in equal measure. The image was both amusing and disgusting. The last thing she wanted to think about was Canderous naked. Alex on the other hand…

She stopped her train of thought, and blushed even more. Now was not the time, nor the place for idle fantasies. Canderous next to her chuckled low and folded his large arms over his chest.

"That's why I like you Cathar. Quick tongued, the lot of you." He approached Juhani and tilted his head mockingly, "I like a fast tongue on a woman." Juhani's eyes lit up in challenge and she bared her teeth in a slow growl.

"Watch it, Ordo." She said and flexed one hand before the Mandelorian, "Or you'll see how fast my hands are." With a thought, a small well groomed claw slid out of each of Juhani's fingers. As a Jedi, she was expected to use a lightsaber and had trimmed her claws shorter than a normal Cathar. Still they were sharp enough to tear flesh and bone with ease. The Mandelorian smiled darkly.

"I might just take you up on that" The Mandalorian was grinning like an idiot at the prospect of sex and violence. But after a moment, he backed down. He had had his fun, and the last thing he wanted was either of these women complaining to Alexander when he returned.

"Why are you here, then?" Bastila asked when it was obvious the spat between her companions had passed. Canderous looked down at her as if noticing her for the first time.

"I'm making you something." He sad dismissively and turned his back to her, "And before you get all sweet and girly on me, Alexander asked me to do this."

"Do what? Make what?" Bastila asked and turned to Juhani, "And where is he by the way?"

"Your boyfriend took the Twi'lek teen and Carth out for…something. Blast, I wasn't paying attention." Both Jedi rolled their eyes at the Mandelorian's gruff manners. Juhani disliked his inattentive attitude towards his crewmates while Bastila bristled at the implied relationship between her and Alexander. Her relationship was none of the Mandelorian's business.

"Alexander left to go free Zaalbar." Juhani put in, "Mission insisted on going and Carth wanted to stretch his legs." After a moment of thinking, Juhani shrugged, "That man has a lot of…issues."

"Everyone has issues, kitty." Canderous sneered as he worked on something on a nearby table. Juhani hissed at him. "I'll bet that even our fearless leader has his fair share of inner demons."

Bastila's thought were suddenly overshadowed by the veteran's words. She thought about Alex, and the secrets buried deep in his mind. What would happen if he ever found out the truth? Would the shock kill him? Would he revert back to his darker self? Bastila played with the idea of telling him the truth, but fear stopped her. She had no idea what would happen, and they need Alexander for this quest. She hated herself for thinking it, but she had to use him. He had a purpose, a job to do. Telling him the truth could end their quest and doom the Galaxy. On the most basic level, it was her guilt against the fate of the Galaxy. Her duty had to come first. But Bastila promised herself that if she and Alexander both lived to see the Sith destroyed, she would tell him the truth. All of it.

Bastila realized she had completely zoned out and had missed Canderous and Juhani bickering again.

"Canderous?" Bastila voice was low and airless. Her two companions stopped talking and looked down at her. Had Alexander been there, he would have seen the sadness in her eyes. Thankfully these two were not as adept at reading her expressions. "What did Alex ask you to make?"

The Mandelorian nodded and produced a syringe from the table behind him. The contents of the glass cylinder were thick and bright red. "This."

"…and that is?" Bastila asked when Canderous didn't clarify.

"Using a sample of your blood, I had the Ebon Hawk create a mixture of amino acids, proteins, and stem-cells." Canderous said, "I added some special carbohydrates and stimulants to speed things along."

"…and Alex asked you to make this? Why?" Bastila asked, and glanced at Juhani who shrugged.

"Let me explain something to you, Princess." Canderous placed the syringe on a small tray next to Bastila's head, "When you got yourself hurt, you did a number on your body. That wound tore through your abdominal muscles. This little concoction will help repair those muscles. Or, you could spend the rest of your life keeping your organs from spilling out."

"Fine, good. Just do it." Bastila snapped as the Mandelorian chuckled. He picked up the mixture and pressed it into the soft flesh just above Bastila's hip. The young Jedi hissed in pain slightly but refused to show any discomfort in front of Canderous. In seconds it was over and Canderous tossed the empty syringe into a waste canister.

"It'll play hell with your stomach for a few days, but you should be back to being useless while standing in no time." Canderous sneered, "Is there anything else I can do, Princess?"

"No Canderous, that is all." Bastila responded, faking her best Royalty impression and turning her face from the Mandelorian, "You may go now. I will ring if I need you." She waved him away. Canderous cursed under his breath and left.

Juhani snickered at the Mandelorian before turning to her friend.

"Hungry?" She asked with a pleasant smile. Bastila smiled back and nodded.

"Famished." Was the response. Juhani nodded and headed for the door.

"I'll see what's in the kitchen." She paused and turned back to Bastila, "It's strange. I had a meal earlier and some of our supply caches were low. Much lower than it should be. Perhaps Mission Vao's appetite is growing. She is an adolescent after all."

"Perhaps." Bastila thought for a moment, "Tell Alexander when he gets back. And please, do not make something fancy. A piece of fruit will do. I…I don't want to be a burden." The Cathar smiled, showing pearl white rows of razor sharp teeth.

"Fine." She said and at the last moment added, "I'll let Alexander worry about cooking the romantic dinners for two." With that Juhani was out the door, and halfway down the hall.

"Juhani Mar!" Bastila yelled after her and was rewarded with distant laughter. Despite herself, Bastila laughed too. The thought of a home cooked dinner with Alexander was intriguing. Heart-racing even.

Pain flashed in Bastila's mind, migraine white and blinding. She doubled over, hands clutching her throbbing head. Images flashed in her mind, uncontrolled and harsh.

_A blue world, drowning in corruption and hate _

_A grey sky, lifeless _

_Robed figures as black as space _

_Flashes of green, blue and red_

_A rift, endless and deep _

_There is light, a galaxy hovers in the water _

_There is so much water _

_She is drowning in it _

She screamed in pain. Voices called out to her. Bastila opened her eyes and let the visions fade from her mind as the sensations of the physical world returned. Salty tears stung her eyes. She looked over at the sound of someone calling her name.

Juhani stood at her side, her features worried and desperate.

"Bastila, what's wrong?" She asked quickly. The Cathar glanced at the medical monitoring equipment, but all lights were green.

"I'm…I'm fine." Bastila managed between breaths, "I think…I think it was a vision. Another starmap, I…I remember water and drowning."

"Manaan."

"What?"

"You said water, and one of the starmaps is supposed to be on Manaan." Juhani nodded her head slowly, "Manaan is an ocean world. I'd bet that's what you saw." Bastila thought for a moment. It made sense. She looked up at Juhani as a though entered her mind.

"Gambling is against Jedi rules." Bastila said with a tight-lipped grin. Juhani grinned back and chuckled.

"So is being a bitch, but that doesn't stop you." The two women shared a laugh and Juhani produced a red fruit from her robes. "Here, eat. Get your strength back." She tossed the small fruit and Bastila effortlessly snatched it out of the air.

As she took her first bite, Juhani's communicator crackled to life. Bastila watched the Cathar pull the device from her belt as she chewed the fruit's moist flesh. A stream of juice ran down her chin and dripped on the sheets covering her. The fruit was so sweet, and juicy. At this moment in time, she wanted nothing more than to eat this delicious fruit.

"Juhani here, go Alex." The Cathar turned up the sound on the device so both Jedi could hear.

"_Hey, Juhani, is Bastila ok?_"

"She's fine." Juhani smiled slightly, "In fact I'm watching her stuff her face right now." Bastila almost chocked and swallowed quickly.

"Its fruit!" Bastila said quickly, "It's healthy!"

"_Good to hear your voice, Bas. Hey listen, um…did you just have…um, like a vision?_"

Bastila and Juhani eyes met and their smiles turned grim. "Of water, and light and drowning."

"_I saw figures, robed figures. And the starmap. It's underwater._"

"It's Manaan, Alexander." Juhani chimed in, "An ocean world to the Galactic East."

"_Then that's where the Force wants us to go next. I'll have Carth set a course when we get back._"

"Speaking of, did everything go ok with Zaalbar?" Bastila asked, "Is he safe?"

"_Why don't you ask him yourself?_" Alex was cheerful and soon Zaalbar grunted a hello over the comm-feed.

"We're glad you're okay Zaalbar." Bastila said with a genuine smile on her face, "It'll be good having you back."

"_Hey Big-Z, let me talk to them!_" Mission's cheery voice carried over the feed, and Bastila shook her head in amusement.

"Hello Mission."

"_Bas! Hey, you doing better?_"

"I'm fine Mission, thank you."

"_Mission, give the communicator back to Alex_." Carth's pleasant voice echoed.

"_Shut up, Carth! You're not my dad!_"

"_If I was your dad, you'd show me some blasted respect!_"

"_Um, Bastila?_" Alexander's voice came over the communicator again. The two young Jedi took a moment to stop laughing before Bastila responded.

"I'm here Alexander." She said. In the background she could hear Mission and Carth yelling, "Listen go deal with those two and get back here as soon as you can. I'm pretty sure you owe me dinner."

"_It's a date then._" Alex chuckled, "_I'll see you later. Out._" The line went dead but not before she heard more yelling from Mission. Juhani and Bastila shared a glance and the Cathar offered her a toothy grin.

"Get some more rest Bastila. I have a feeling you'll need all your strength soon."

"Yeah, you may not be wrong about that." The human Jedi said softly. She laid her head back and closed her eyes. Almost instantly sleep took her again, and she dreamed of Alexander and what could be between them.


	8. Ebon Hawk Prt II

Bastila was pulled from her warm summer dreams by the low hiss of the med-bay door sliding open. She was groggy and annoyed. Thankfully her dreams had not been memories of Revan's life. Rather it had been a wonderful fantasy where she had never been Jedi and she lived an honest life with her husband, Alexander. She knew the danger these dreams represented and when her mind fully awoke, she would spend hours in meditation. But for one brief moment, she allowed herself to fully appreciate what she had imagined.

She processed this in the time it took her visitor to cross the room and switch the lights to their lowest setting, bathing the room in dull amber. At first Bastila squinted but in seconds she was adjusted to the light and saw her guest. She smiled.

"Hey." Alex whispered. Even in the dull light his sapphire eyes sparkled.

"Hey yourself." She said and stretched, "What time is it?"

"Two in the morning, shipboard time." Alex carefully sat down on the bed. Bastila scooted to one side to allow him room.

"You better have a damn good reason for waking me up at this blasted hour." She said half-heartedly. With a smile Alex produced a small bowl from behind his back. A silver spoon reflected the light.

"Chocolate?" He handed her the bowl. For a moment, Bastila was speechless. A small smile played on her features.

"What's the occasion?" She asked and took the offered treat.

"Well, we found our second starmap and neither of us died." He offered her a smile, "Seems like as good of a reason as any to celebrate."

"Why chocolate?"

"I…I figured you'd like it…because, well you're…."

"Oh, so just because I'm a woman, I just have to love chocolate huh?" She asked, eyeing him menacingly in the low light, "I expect this behavior from Canderous, but not you." Despite the look she was giving him, Alexander chuckled and reached for the bowl again.

"If you don't want it, I'll take i-"

"No you won't!" Bastila pulled the bowl away from him and spooned some of the pudding into her mouth, "it just so happens I do love chocolate."

"But not because you're a woman, right?" Alex asked as he ate from his own bowl.

"Exactly. It's a personality trait." She took another bite, "A guilty pleasure, if you will."

"Got any more guilty pleasures I should know about?" Alex asked flirtatiously. She eyed him and smiled coyly.

"One or two, but you'll have to figure them out on your own." She winked at him and took another bite of the rich chocolate. She made a low moaning noise and smiled to herself. "By the Force, this is delicious. I haven't had chocolate in years."

"Reminds me of basic training." He said, lost in memories, "I had this brutal drill sergeant. Cruel bastard drove us so hard, the entire class was ready to quit. But the day we graduated as full space marines he threw us this massive feast. He even had chocolate desserts imported all the way from Aurulia. Best meal of my life. He gave us this heart-felt speech about how we were the best damn recruits he had ever seen. It was a special day…"

"It reminds me of…" The words died in her throat as she stared blankly into the bowl in her hand. Memories of her long lost childhood flashed in her mind. Memories she had thought buried and forgotten. A man; a man she had just been getting to know when the Jedi called to her.

"Bastila?" Alex noticed his friend's mood and set his bowl aside, "Are you ok? What does it remind you of?"

"My…my father." She said after a moment, "I've never spoken about my parents, have I?"

"No you haven't, but it's a personal issue." Alex's voice was soft and kind, "We all have some memories we're willing to share, but more often than not memories are too painful. I figured your parents were in the latter category."

"Life was hard." She seemed to not even hear his words, "My parents were hunters. Big game hunters. Tryasours, rancors, micra dragons. You name it, they tried to hunt it. But they were never that good." She looked at the bowl in her hand and felt tears in her eyes, "There were a lot of nights we had to go hungry. The money just wasn't there. My mom would always say the next hunt would be one." She laughed bitterly.

"She would always tell me she had a feeling that we would make it big on the next hunt. She pushed my dad so hard to keep hunting. We traveled around all the time. I never had any friends. My father was the only one I was ever close to. He was forced to take more dangerous and less paying jobs just to keep us afloat." Tears finally feel down her cheeks and dripped into her bowl, "But somehow, every year on my birthday, my father had managed to save up enough for one packet of chocolate. That was my gift. He'd sit me on his lap and we'd share that one bar a year. It was always the best day of the year. I always looked forward to that one day I could feel…special." Suddenly the taste in her mouth went to ash and her desire for sweats died. She put the bowl aside and just looked at her hands as if seeing them for the first time. She imagined she could feel the soft metal wrapper of her birthday gift in her hands.

She looked at Alexander. His face was written with compassion and understanding. His blue eyes glistened moistly in the dull light and he offered her a slow, sad smile.

Realizing what she had just confessed, Bastila quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, "Blast look at me. Here I am ruining our celebration with sob stories from my childhood. I'm sorry, Alexander. I've ruined the mood. Some controlled Jedi I am, eh?" She laughed but it was a fake, hollow thing. Alexander saw right through it. He reached out and took her hand.

"Bastila, you don't have to apologi-"

"Stop it!" She pulled away from him, trying to hide her face from him, "I am a Jedi, damn it! I am twenty-two years old, and I haven't seen my parents in over a decade. I should be over this. This is not what I was trained to be. I'm…I'm weak!" She was filled with self-loathing, but right now Alexander would have to bear the brunt of her bitterness.

"You're a Jedi, yes." Alexander said carefully, "But you're still human." He reached over and turned her face towards his, "You still have feelings. Denying them, denying that you can still _feel_ is…folly. Its…"

"Jedi nature?" She asked quietly.

"Inhuman." He said firmly, "I don't pretend to know how you feel, but I do know you're not wrong for feeling it. I've only been a Jedi for little over a month now, but I know enough. I know you are the best damn Jedi I have ever met, and you are certainly not weak." Thinking quickly, Alex gripped her shoulder softly and pulled her into a hug. His arms wrapped slowly around her body, and Bastila found herself burying her head into his chest. A handful of tears escaped her eyes and a single sob wracked her throat.

"It's okay." Alex cooed softly, "I have you. You're safe with me." The words struck Bastila's heart like a hammer. Not because they were untrue; the opposite in fact. Resting in his warm arms Bastila felt safer than she had ever felt. She felt like the Galaxy could be collapsing around her, but she would be completely safe in Alex's arms. She looked up into his caring blue eyes.

"Do you really think I'm a great Jedi?" She asked, her voice never rising above a whisper.

"Of course I do." He smiled at her and rubbed her cheek with his hand, "I mean you trained me and look at how great I am." Bastila stifled back a laugh and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Arrogant as ever I see."

"It's a personality trait." He said with a cheeky grin, "And besides I've always thought you were special."

"You've always made your feelings about me pretty obvious." She had meant the comment playfully, but she saw him wince. She saw the sorrow in his eyes and instantly regretted her words. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"No, it's okay." He said softly, "I really should stop being so flirtatious. We're both Jedi. It's not allowed." Sighing heavily Bastila pushed Alexander back until he was lying on her cot, her head resting on his chest.

"You don't have to stop if you don't want to." She whispered into his chest, "I'm starting to like it."

"Ms. Shan, are you flirting with me?" Alex asked incredulously. She looked up and smiled shyly.

"What if I am?"

"I think I would have to kiss you." He said in a husky, low voice. He leaned down closer, his lips hovering just above hers.

"Wait." She said firmly, and looked away, "I…I don't know about this. We're Jedi and we have a mission. That must come first, before…this. Before us."

"Bastila, we're en route to Manaan. We're about two days out." Alex said quietly and nudged her with his head, "We have nothing to do but rest up, and wait."

"I…I want to think about this." She said, her voice shaking and unsure, "I want time."

"I understand." He said and squeezed her closer to his chest for a second, "I'll give you all the time you need." She nodded her thanks and looked into the distance. Her mind was racing with thoughts and ideas. She wanted to kiss him so much it hurt, but she couldn't. Her Jedi mind fought against her desire. She had to have perspective. Even if she agreed to his advances, there was not guarantee their relationship would last. Even if their Jedi lives didn't ruin everything, what if she and Alexander just didn't work as a couple? What if the entire mission broke down because of a fight over something trivial, like who's bed do they sleep in or Force forbid, pet names?

But she was still Jedi, she still had a job to do. Despite what she felt or wanted, she had a duty. She was of purpose. Maybe if they both survived this quest, _maybe_ she'd readdress this building relationship. Until then, for both of their sakes and for the fate of the Galaxy, she had to resist her feelings. She only hoped she had the strength of will to resist.

"I think I should go." Alex said after a moment. He made to get up but Bastila pushed him back down.

"No." She said playfully, "I said I wouldn't kiss you. But I never said I wasn't going to use you as a pillow. You're staying right here." She rubbed against him to get comfortable and closed her eyes. Alexander's body heat was so pleasant. It seemed to seep through her, relaxing her and making her eyes heavy.

"As long as we're talking about our past, I might as well tell you about my parents." He whispered. Bastila nodded slowly.

"It is only fair." She said into his chest.

"I was born on a farm on Deralia, to loving parents, Nathaniel and Elissa." He spoke in a hushed, loving tone, "My dad died when I was six, so it was just me, my mom, and about twenty hired hands my whole life. I was close with all of them. My mom made sure I always attended the education programs in the city. She wanted me to learn, to be able to leave the farm life if I ever wanted to. She took care of me until I was old enough to enlist. I had heard about the Mandelorian War from a military supply ship that had stopped for supplies. I wanted to fight. I wanted to explore the Galaxy and find my place."

"Why would you want to go to war?" Bastila asked.

"Honestly, because it sounded romantic." He laughed slightly, "I thought I would be some epic hero, that I would save the entire Galaxy. I would be rich, important. People the Galaxy over would know my name, my deeds and they would respect me."

"And you'd have hundreds of beautiful women being very grateful, huh?" Bastila asked with a smirk. Alex thought about this for a moment and nodded his head.

"I would be lying if I said it had never crossed my mind."

"And how well did your plan work out?"

Alex looked at Bastila with an amused grin and squeezed her tighter to his chest. She sighed contently and let herself melt into his embrace. She would hate herself later. Right now she was just happy.

"It seems to be working out perfectly." He said after a moment. Bastila chuckled.

"Easy boy." She said playfully, "You haven't saved the Galaxy yet."

"I'm working on it." He played along, "Just like I'm working on making you less of a bitch."

"I'll make you a deal." She said with fake menace, "I'll stop being a bitch the day you act like a grown-up."

"Shit." Alex said after a moment, "Well it looks like you'll be a bitch forever."

"You really need to work on your bedside manners."

"Oh?" He arched his eyebrows and tilted his head to look at her, "Have much experience with being in bed with a cute guy?" Bastila eyed him angrily and shook her head.

"Oh…oh shut up you!" She managed, embarrassed and distraught, "I...I have never…that is…I….look, just shut up." Alex chuckled lightly and pulled her closer. She was grateful to be able to hide her face from him. Her face burned with embarrassment, but a smile still haunted her features. She let her mind wonder for a few moments. She knew she'd hate herself for this intimacy in the morning. But as the same time, she was very warm and very comfortable. She felt safe.

"If I stay like this much longer, I'll fall asleep." Alex whispered. Bastila opened one eye and looked at his handsome features.

"What's your point?"

"Nothing. Just stating a fact." He replied with a delighted smile. She grinned back and rested her head on his chest again.

"Good. Now shut up and hold me." She commanded. He laughed but didn't say anything. After a few moments, the rhythmic thumb of his heart and his smothering warmness got to Bastila. She fell into what was most certainly the best sleep of her life.

000000

In the void of space tracking your prey was a truly special thing. Like hunting on a planet's surface, speed and stealth were essential. But there was something else to tracking in space. There was a beauty in space that no amount of killing on a surface could match. Hunting on a planet was a messy thing. Atmospheric conditions, local wildlife, tall mountains and endless valleys; all these things left hunters tired and unsure. And mud! The pilot truly hated mud. It was messy, and disgusting! On a planet prey could hide, cover their tracks or even use the world against hunters. But in space? There were only the hunters and the hunted and the emptiness of space to witness the kill.

Silently the hunters tore through the empty space between worlds. There were five of them, identical in armored plates of silver and black. Great angular wings haloed a sleek rectangular cockpit. The hunters bristled with weapon mounts and missile pods. Each hunter was more than a match for their prey. The fighters ran silent; no communication, no radar, no life-support. Only engines and weapon systems were powered. At this low level of energy output, they would get within lock-on range well before their prey noticed them.

In the distance, the starlight reflected something in the void. It was roughly circular with bright blue engines that burned in the empty blackness. After-burners kicked in as the hunters powered towards their prey. They would not escape again.

000000

The second time Bastila woke up that day she was no longer in the med-bay. Someone, she had a good idea who, had moved her back to her room. That same person had tuckered her gently in her cot. That same person had also laid out a replacement robe and brown combat boots. That same person also left a water crystal and two fruit flavored ration bars on her empty chair.

She smiled to herself, and couldn't help but blush. Her stomach grumbled angrily and the young Jedi quickly drank half of the water and ate an entire ration bar in the blink of an eye. As she chewed, Bastila thought about the night before. She remembered her heart-felt conversation with Alexander, and the personal confessions they had made. She paused to reflect; she knew what she had been told was a lie. There was no Nathaniel, or Elissa Stargaze. They were phantoms, false memories implanted into Revan's destroyed mind to create the man she knew as Alexander. There had never been a Stargaze farm. He had never attended school in a big city. The real Revan had been an orphan on the streets of Coruscant before the Jedi took him in. His real childhood had been much darker, colder and much harsher. How much of the man she knew as Alex was real? If his memories weren't real, then how could his morals be? How could he possibly be a kind hearted farmer's son when he was neither born on a farm, nor ever had a father? How could she possibly care for a man she knew to be false?

These thoughts and more plagued the young Jedi's mind as she dressed. She tried to calm her mind with the meditation lessons taught to her by the Jedi. She sat on the floor and crossed her legs and began to meditate. It was a refreshing ritual; something she had done every morning since the day she first arrived at a Jedi Temple. For over ten years she had begun each day with a few minutes of quiet contemplation and spiritual awareness.

Slowly the Jedi calmed her mind and the sensations of the physical world faded away. She felt her awareness drift past the walls of her room and into the halls of the Ebon Hawk. Each of her companions and friends glowed like candles in the dark, and she took a measure of each of their souls. Carth Onasi and the young Twi'lek Mission Vao both had kind pure blue souls. Despite their constant bickering the two were very similar.

The Mandelorian, Canderous Ordo burned like a fire. His soul was dark, red and horrible. There was a crude honor and poetry to his soul, but Bastila still found herself sickened by his violent nature.

Her fellow Jedi, Juhani was a brilliant and beautiful green. Her soul was truly a unique thing, radiating fierce loyalty and compassion in equal measure. She carried all the calm of a stream and the strength and power of a river.

Before she could travel further, a spike of emotion struck her mind. She whirled about, the feeling of danger bubbling like lava in her mind. Something was approaching, fast and deadly. She tried to calm her mind, tried to focus but her heart hammered in her chest. She stared out into the empty void of space, studying and waiting. Something moved in the darkness; flickers of emotion, red and angry like a dying animal. Someone was tracking them!

_Alex!_ She yelled through her Force bond, _Sith star-fighters are bearing down on us!_

Instantly there was a whirlwind of activity from her companion. Bastila quickly opened her eyes, leaving the Force realm and staggering to her feet. She emerged from her room in time to see Canderous and Alex run past.

"Get to the cockpit with Carth!" Alex called as he passed, "Canderous and I will man the turrets!" She nodded and took off in a sprint. She reached the cockpit in seconds, breathless and anxious. Carth Onasi was sitting in the pilot's chair, his fingers dancing across the controls.

The Ebon Hawk shook as a barrage of laser fire hammered its hull. Bastila steadied herself on one of the computer banks and quickly sat down in.

"Blast, how the hell did they sneak up on us?" Carth snarled as he plunged the Ebon Hawk into a vertical dive. Bastila tapped a series of commands into a tactical display and a radar screen came on the screen. The ping went out and nothing appeared on the return.

"Stealth technology." She said and keyed into the comm-system, "Alex, Canderous, unconfirmed numbers of stealth craft. Radar will be useless."

"_Acknowledged_." Canderous replied

"_Anything we can do to track them?_" Alex asked as the Ebon Hawk rocked under another salvo.

"Working on it." Bastila snapped back. Her eyes played across an endless series of scrolling text, listing every and all readouts from the ship. More laser fire ripped through space, some impacting on the hull but most missing by mere meters.

"_I can't see anything out there!_" Canderous snarled over the comm-net, "_Cowards! Fight me!_" Although Bastila did not have the Mandelorian's bloodless, she shared his frustration.

"Shields at seventy percent!" Carth called out, "We can't take much more of this."

"_Bastila, deploy flares!_" Alex's voice carried over the comms. The young Jedi didn't hesitate and keyed in the command prompt.

Outside the ship, a series of blinding lights erupted from the Ebon Hawk's hull. They burned white hot, even in the airless void. The chemical composition of the flares had been crafted specifically for space combat.

Alex peered through the scopes of the laser turret on top of the Ebon Hawk. He turned the turret slowly, scanning the void around his ship. There! Light from the flares reflecting off a pitch black hull. It moved fast, easily twice as fast as the Ebon Hawk. Alex pulled hard on the rotation controls and brought the twin laser cannons to bear. His Force-enhanced senses slowed the Galaxy down for just a moment. The Sith craft was rapidly approaching. Green energy began to build in the muzzle of the starfgter's weapon mounts. Alex pressed the trigger.

Twin spears of red light erupted from the laser turret. With minimal power usage, the Sith's shields were not active. The energy beams tore through the hull, igniting its fuel reserves. The starfigher exploded in a ball of fiery energy.

"_First blood to the Jedi._" Canderous laughed, "_I'm impressed._" Alex felt a second explosion from below the Ebon Hawk and heard laughter from the Mandelorian. He had obviously picked up on how Alexander was tracking the Sith.

"Two fighters down." Alex spoke into his comm, "Bastila do you have any idea how many more are out there?"

"_Not many._" She replied instantly, "_I imagine they planned on stealth rather than numbers._"

"_Who cares for their numbers?_" Canderous asked, "_Kill until victory, or until the Gods claim you!_"

Alex did not respond. Another fighter flickered in the dark, silent as a shark and many times more deadly. Laser fire perforated the hull of the Ebon Hawk, scorching paint and warping metal under its intense heat. Alex fired the laser cannons and clipped the wing from the starfighter. It spun out of control and exploded.

More beams of energy pounded the hull, and Alex spun the turret around in time for a Sith fighter to fly overhead. He growled in annoyance and spun to track it. The starfighter was tearing away from the Ebon Hawk to prepare for another attack run. Alex fired at the retreating glow of its engines. The laser beams tore through the engine couplings, and continued through the cockpit, vaporizing the pilot. Electrical discharge danced across the Sith craft as it continued aimless away from the Ebon Hawk. Alex fired again and reduced the starfighter to atoms.

The final Sith craft raked the side of the Ebon Hawk with fire, and soared past the cockpit. It came about swiftly, and bore directly down on the glass canopy. Bastila felt her breath catch in her throat as she stared defiantly at the approaching craft. She refused to accept dying like this. Just as the baleful energy of the Sith's turrets glowed, twin beams of red light blasted through the starfighter. It exploded in a dazzling display of fire and energy just as the Ebon Hawk flew through where it had just been. Bastila felt a sigh of relief and relaxed in her chair.

"_I think that's all of them._" Alex's voice was calm, yet hesitant, "_Confirm?_"

"_No more on my end._" Canderous sounded displeased, "_Only one kill. Blasted cowards!_"

"Confirmed." Bastila said, "Good job you two." Carth let out a sigh and sat back in his chair. The old leather shifted and moaned under him and he rubbed his eyes.

"This better be worth it." He grumbled. Bastila shot him a look, disbelief and anger written on her features.

"The fate of the Galaxy is at stake, Carth." She said firmly.

"Is it?" He spun in his chair and Bastila was taken aback by the defiance in his eyes.

"Absolutely." She said, "The Star-Forge is -"

"Is what exactly?" He interrupted, "Is it a ship? Is it a planet? Or an actual weapons factory?" He stood and rested on his hands in front of the galactic map display, "Or is it just some sort of Jedi religious…thing? A trinket that will look pretty in a display case somewhere?"

"I…I don't know exactly what is it, but I-"

"Exactly!" He exclaimed, "That's my point! We have no idea what we're looking for, or where it is. But we're willing to die for it? Well not me, no way."

"Are you saying you want off the mission?" Alex's voice was deep and firm. The two spun to see the Jedi warrior standing in the doorway, arms folded across his chest. Carth sighed and shook his head.

"No, that's not what I'm saying." He threw his hands in the air, "I just don't like taking things on faith. I need proof that what we're doing is worth it. I mean blast Bastila, you almost died two days ago! And for what? A series of reference numbers for a Galactic route to…a thing."

"Look, Carth, this is not a matter of faith." Alex said slowly as he walked over, "If I thought for one minute that I was risking your life, or Mission's life, Juhani's or Johlee's," He paused and turned to Bastila and looked at her sadly, "Or Bastila's life for a relic I would have walked away the second the Jedi offered to train me."

"Alex!" Bastila exclaimed. He held up a hand and silenced her.

"No, I'm serious." He looked at her, "I would never have joined the Jedi if this was a fetch quest." He held Bastila's gaze for a long moment then turned to Carth.

"But that's not what this is." He put a hand on the pilot's shoulder, "This is much deeper than a trinket. Malak was able to create entire armies with this thing. He's winning this war because of the Starforge. Now whether the Starforge is a space station, an actual forge or a Force-damned magical wand he waves around, I'm going to take it from him." He smiled ever so slightly, "And I need your help to do. We can save the Galaxy, but we can't do it without you." Carth held his gaze and nodded slowly.

"If the Starforge turns out to be a fairy wand, I'm lodging a complaint with the Jedi." He grinned and Alex laughed loudly. Bastila chuckled slightly.

"And I will second it." Alex said, "Too epic of a name for such a silly thing. It has to be against the law somewhere." They both turned to Bastila. She looked between the two and sighed.

"I'll join too." She said, defeated and smiling.

"That's the girl!" Alex proclaimed. Carth and Bastila laughed together. When the humor of the moment died down, Carth sighed and yawned.

"Well if you'll excuse me, there's a pastry and a cup of caffeine in the kitchen with my name on it." He left the cockpit and stretched his arms as he did.

"Save me a cup!" Alex called after him. Carth merely waved as he walked and was soon out of sight. Alex looked over at Bastila who was studying him intently. "What?"

"You make it look so easy." She said and motioned down the hallway to Carth, "You can make anyone feel like the most important person in the Galaxy." He smiled down at her and offered her his hand. She took it gladly and he pulled her into a gentle hug. Bastila sighed as she melted into his embrace. She was starting to get use to being like this. After a moment Alex pulled away slightly and put a hand on her cheek.

"The key is to really mean it." He whispered, "Everyone on this ship is key to the survival of the Galaxy."

"Everyone?" She smiled mischievously, "Who's the most important?"

"You." He said instantly.

"Really?" She leaned a little closer, her eyes twinkling "You think I'm the most important person in the known Galaxy?"

"To me, no one else comes close." He tightened his hold on her, and held his lips centimeters from hers. Bastila pulled away quickly, sighing.

"Not yet." She said sorrowfully, "I…I need more time to think." Alex nodded and Bastila could see the sadness and lust in his eyes. It really was taking all of his will not to kiss her senseless, and it was taking all of her will not to let him. After a moment, when her heart had calmed down enough she reached out and took his hand. He looked at her and smiled slightly. She smiled back.

"Come on, you can make me breakfast." She pulled him out of the cockpit, "and I'm starving!" From down the corridor the two Jedi could hear laughter and the unmistakable voice of Mission doing her Canderous impression. Bastila quickened her pace; she loved seeing the Mandelorian's face when the teen mocked him.


	9. Manaan Prt I

Not for the first time since setting foot on the oceanic world of Manaan, Bastila wished she was anywhere else in the Galaxy. She did not hate this world. Such a notion would be very petty, undignified and would simply be below a Jedi. No, she could not bring herself to say she hated Manaan. As a world, it was very beautiful. Vast, clear blue oceans stretched for as far as she could see. The sky was a constant storm grey, as if a storm was just on the horizon. But still it was beautiful, in a haunting foreboding way. In terms of life, Manaan was as diverse as any planet in the Galaxy. More so, even, with its vast oceans. Like all worlds, the climate of Manaan differed greatly from one location to another. At the equator, where the sun burned brightly in the sky, and the waters were warm, life thrived.

Millions of aquatic animals, some warm blooded, but most cold blooded swarmed in the waters. From the lowest mirco-plankton to the legendary leviathans and great whales, it truly was a fisherman's paradise. To the North, and to the South, at the tips of the world, ice formed the landscape. Here too life seemed to thrive. The fish were remarkably different from their tropical brethren, but still on they lived. The temperate zones and coastal waters all swarmed with life as varied as the stars in the sky. With such a great abundance of life, it was little wonder Manaan was a key producer of food-stuffs for a quarter of the Galaxy.

No, it was not that she hated Manaan. Simply put, the planet smelled. Oh Force-dammit, it smelled! It was a constant, overpowering stench. The essence of bodily sweat, brine, fresh and rotting fish mixed together to form a truly foul smell. It seeped into everything. Her robes, her skin, even her hair smelled of filth. Bastila inwardly groaned. She had never been one for extravagant make-up and perfumes, or even long relaxing showers. However, she imagined it would take hours of rinsing and repeating in the Ebon Hawk's washrooms to remove the stench from her body.

But more than the constant smell of the world, there was a certain feeling of wrongness that caused Bastila to be uneasy. Manaan was a neutral world, having refused acceptance into the Republic or the Sith Empire. That made traveling as Jedi, the defenders of the Republic, a bit awkward. At the request of Alexander, before they had departed the Ebon Hawk, Bastila had changed into a more casual outfit. She still wore armor, but it was the kind used by recon squads or skirmishers. Alexander and Canderous had installed several layers of mesh weave into her chest piece and leg guards. All things being equal, it did not bother her horribly to be out of her robes. Her armor was a light brown in color, and offered enough mobility for her to feel secure. And most likely to Alexander's delight, it was not as modest as Jedi robes and left little to the imagination. It hugged her curves in a way most women would find flattering, but to Bastila it only felt awkward. She would make do though, until she could put on more proper attire.

But on a planet where she had to travel in relative disguise, she also had to be twice as alert. The Sith maintained an embassy on Manaan, where they portrayed the Republic as bullies and thieves. Combat between the Republic and Sith was strictly forbidden, but sometimes people disappeared. The Sith had many spies and agents, some looking just as casual as Bastila did right now. This fact alone kept Bastila's attention trained constantly at the bar-patrons around her, and not at the blue-skinned teen sitting with her.

"Bastila?" Mission waved a hand in front of the Jedi's face, "Hey Bastila, you in there?"

"I'm sorry Mission, I'm a bit distracted." Bastila said and took another sip of the small glass of wine she had ordered earlier. "Can you please repeat what you said?"

"Maybe if I was a rugged and handsome Jedi with big strong hands you'd pay more attention." The Twi'lek said smugly and sipped from her carbonated juice.

"You've been listening to too many shipboard rumors." Bastila said casually. Mission shrugged and sipped again from her drink. A moment passed and Misson looked back over at the Jedi.

"You know I start those rumors, right?" Mission smiled innocently. The young Twi'lek was a romantic at heart, and when the topic of Bastila and Alexander's relationship came up, she was giddy and imaginative.

"Oh, I know. And for your own good, you should stop listening to yourself."

"You sound just like Carth!" Mission wasn't angry. From what Bastila had seen, the teen never got angry. She simply got louder. "You know, he's always banging on about how I should act more my age."

"You're fourteen Mission." Bastila said matter-of-factly, "I think you act your age all the time."

"That's what I tell him, but NO!" Mission held her hands out, mimicking flying an aircraft, "Mr. Pilot-man has to be all high and mighty, all- wait, did you just call me childish?"

"Why, Mission, I would never do such a thing." Bastila smiled sweetly at her. Mission's eyes narrowed.

"I know it was you who tripped me, back on Dantooine."

"I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about." Bastila quickly sipped from her glass and cast her glance about the bar they were in. It was a dive, filled with crusty fisherman and scoundrels. Mission fit in, Alexander fit in. Bastila stood out. To avoid the lustful glances of men with too much drink in them, Alexander and Bastila had chosen a small booth far in the corner. That was before a man named Roland Wann had approached them. He was a Republic officer, and had spoken to Alexander in quick conspiratorial tones that he wanted to talk in private. And so while her partner and their new acquaintance were off at the bar itself, talking, Bastila had found herself with Mission Vao and T3-M4 as her companions. The astro-droid made for little conversation, and Mission for too much.

"Bastila, are you listening?" Mission was growing impatient with the older woman, but was still glad she had been offered a spot on the away-party.

"Yes."

"You've heard everything I've said?"

"Yes."

"Even the part about Alex and those two erotic dancers on Taris?"

"Yes."

"And you're okay with that?"

"Yes."

"Can I order some food?"

"Yes."

"Can I order fried calamari?"

"Yes."

"Can I order a martini?"

"Not until you're older." Bastila grinned to suppress laughter as the Twi'lek cursed. She turned back to her companion, "You're good Mission, very good. But I'm still a Jedi, and I'm still the adult."

"This is such poodoo." Mission groaned, "I had drinks all the time on Taris and no one ever stopped me."

"Did you use a faked identity card?" Bastila eyed her.

"Well, yeah, sort of." Mission stammered and looked away, rubbing her hands together nervously, "But no one ever caught on, you see? It was just harmless fun."

"Well if you have your ID card on you, then you can order from the bar." Mission leapt out of her seat.

"Thanks Bas!"

"_Except_" Bastila said calmly, stopping the Twi'lek in her tracks, "If I allowed you to order alcohol illegally, I would be violating the Jedi code to protect the innocent. Sit back down."

"What Innocents?" Mission groaned.

"You."

"Oh, right yeah." Mission said sarcastically, "And who would you be protecting me from?"

"Why, yourself of course." Bastila smiled, "Now hand it over." Bastila held out her hand and motioned to the Twi'lek. Mission sighed and put a small reflective card in the Jedi's hand.

"You'll get it back when we're back on the Ebon Hawk."

"Should have known." Mission shook her head in disappointment, "Of all the people in the 'verse to be traveling with, I get you and Captain Buzz-kill. Just my luck."

00000

"I'm telling you, the Sith were behind it all." Roland Wann said passionately. Alex held up a hand and drunk from his glass of amsec.

"I thought Manaan was a neutral world?" He asked. The Republic official scoffed and shot back his drink.

"Neutral? Feh!" He said, "If the Selkath are neutral, then I'm the great grand-pappy of the Republic."

"You don't trust them?"

"I trust them about as much as I can stand smelling them." Roland sighed, "They're only looking after their people, so bully to them. But the Sith are calling for a trial, to determine once and for all where Manaan will stand."

"And you think the Sith are trying to rig this trial?" Alex asked.

"In all honestly, both sides are." Roland confessed, "The Republic needs the raw kolto produced here. Without it, millions of our soldiers will die. We need kolto for out medical facilities."

"I know, but I'm on a mission for the Jedi council." Alex finished his drink, "and not to be harsh, but it's more important than one neutral world on the Rim."

"What mission?" Roland asked. Alex gave him a hard look, and the man shook his head.

"Look, I've been on Manaan for years." Roland said, "Maybe I've heard things that can help."

"Things with a price, you mean." Alex sneered.

"Everything has a price." Roland ordered another round of drinks, "Let me put it this way. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours."

"I'm looking for a map. A starmap. Its ancient, built aeons ago." Alex motioned to a small window at the far end of the bar, "It's somewhere out there, on the sea floor."

"An old starmap on the bottom of the sea, eh?" Roland swirled his amber drink around and a slow smile bloomed on his dark skinned face, "Interesting…very interesting."

"Cut the shit." Alex snapped, "What do you know, and what does it cost?" Roland's smile vanished and he gulped down his drink quickly.

"Two days ago, one of our submersible drones malfunctioned." He pulled a datapad from his jacket and handed it to Alex, "It was scanning the area around Ahto city. We're sure the Sith have a secret kolto processing facility somewhere. Our drone was damaged and surfaced. Before we could retrieve it, the Sith found it. They even paid off the Selkath authority to look the other way."

"And you want the drone back?"

"Quid pro quo, Jedi." Roland smiled, "You get me that probe, and I just might have a way for you to reach the ocean floor."

"And where might this probe be? If the Sith took it, it could be off world by now."

"Doubtful." Roland looked thoughtful, "My guess is its still in the embassy. You just need to get into the Sith embassy and everything should be fine."

"And how do you propose I get into the Sith embassy without just killing them all?" Alex asked. Roland shrugged.

"I was going to say just kill them all." He smiled darkly, "But if you want to play the espionage game, then I just so happen to have a Sith spy we caught in my interrogation cell."

"Torture?" Alex asked in both anger and disbelief, "You want a Jedi to torture a prisoner?"

"No one has said anything about torture." Roland laughed nervously, "I'm merely suggesting you use your mind tricks and get in the information we need." Alex held the man's eyes for a long moment.

"Tell me about this prisoner."

000000

Bastila could sense that Alexander was uneasy and even angry. She had no idea what the man, Roland Wann, was telling him. But whatever it was, Alex was not happy to hear it. Bastila tried to calm her mind and fight the urge to walk over to him. She knew Alex could look after himself, and he was just talking with a Republic officer. Someone of their side!

Still her unease grew. It was a nagging feeling at the back of her mind, an itch that warned her of danger. Mission seemed blissfully unaware of what Bastila was feeling. But perhaps, in that the truth lied. Mission had grown up on her own, surviving on her wits and cunning.

Bastila knew Mission to be a competent shot, and expect hacker. And here she was, a fourteen year old Twi'lek in a dive bar, and she seemed happy. Perhaps Mission was unaware of the danger of this bar, or perhaps she was so used to the constant danger of drunks that she no longer acknowledged it. Perhaps Bastila was simply over-reacting.

Just as her mind began to calm, a native Selkath staggered into the bar. It looked around, eyes blinking quickly and hands fidgeting. The Selkath walked through the bar, avoiding every patron and the bartender. Bastila's heart sank and her feeling of uneasy returned when the Selkath stopped only a meter away from her table.

"Can we help you with something?" Bastila asked. The Selkath blinked its black eyes quickly, as if in the eyes of a predator.

"Hurrr…I hope so…" the aquatic creature's speech was harsh, shaking and barely discernable. Bastila sat up straighter and cast Mission a don't-say-anything glance. "My name is Shaelas."

"I hurrr...must..ask…" Shaelas looked around at the other patrons, and Bastila noticed a few were paying attention to the bumbling native, "Where…where does…you loyalty lie?"

"What do you mean, loyalty?" Bastila asked, "Listen if you've had too much to drink and are looking for a one-night stand, I suggest you go elsewhere."

"No!" The Selkath slammed its hands on the table, causing Mission to jump slightly. Out of the corner of her eye Bastila caught Alexander giving her a look.

_Trouble?_ He asked through their bond.

_Nothing I can't handle._ She responded.

"They…they took her." Shaelas moaned, "They took her."

"Who took whom?" Bastila asked, "What are you talking about?" The Selkath leaned forward, his voice a whisper.

"Sith." He said, "Are..hurr…are you…Sith?"

"I am no Sith." Bastila leaned closer and motioned to Alexander at the bar, "We are Jedi." The Selkath sighed with relief and fidgeted with a pocket on his vest. He pulled out a small holopad and handed it to Bastila. She glanced at the image on it. It was of two Selkath, a tall one, obviously the same individual before her, and second younger Selkath. The two stood ram-rod stiff before an altar, and in the back of the photo a banner hung in a native language. The image was of a celebration of some sort.

"That is…hurr…my daughter." The Selkath took the item back and touched it lovingly, "They took her. The…hurr…the Sith took my daughter." Bastila stiffened and her eyes narrowed.

"Are you sure?" She asked, "That is a very serious claim to make." She did not doubt the Sith to be capable of kidnapping children, but on a neutral world like Manaan she couldn't just go around accusing people of such things.

"I am sure." He said, "They…Sith…hurr…approached my daughter…hurr…last cycle…wanted her to join…hurr…them…" He put the holopad away, "She said no…hurr…because she is good…but still they…hurr…took her…they took my daughter!"

"Okay, calm down." Bastila said carefully, "Have any other children gone missing?"

"Yes…hurr…many…" Shaelas nodded, "I have…hurr…spoken with…parents…each child…hurr…did the Sith approach…to recruit…each said…hurr….no."

"And now they're gone?" Bastila asked darkly. Shaelas nodded his head.

"Gone…all…" He looked around. Two bar patrons in black body armor nodded at each other and approached the Jedi and her two companions. Bastila saw them coming out of the corner of her eye and slowly motioned for Mission to put away the blaster pistol she had pulled from her belt. Bastila slid her lightsaber from its hiding spot on her hip and took in the measure of the two men approaching. She did not sense the Dark Side taint on them, but still they radiated menace and hatred.

"Shaelas of Clan Otkar, we would like you to come with us." One of the black armored warriors growled.

"He is having a conversation with us." Bastila said, "We are old friends and we are trying to catch up. We would appreciate some privacy."

"I insist." The man pulled a blaster from his belt, "And now that you mention it, you and the Twi'lek should come with us too."

"Is there a problem here?" Alexander's angry voice called to the two armed soldiers. They turned around, and Bastila was relieved to see her partner standing before them, arms folded and eyes narrowed.

"No unless you want a problem, pal." The lead armored man said and motioned to the table behind him, "This native is spreading lies about the glorious Sith, and we would like to…reeducate him."

"Oh, really? How generous of you." Alexander chuckled darkly, "And the other two? What have they done?"

The man shrugged, "Wouldn't mind getting my dick wet."

"Hmm…wrong answer." Alexander said. T3-M4 rolled quickly out from under the table and used a charged stinger to shock the lead warrior. The man yelped and fell forwards. To the passive on-looker, it appeared as if the Sith enforcer had lunged at Alexander. The young Jedi smiled to himself and hammered his fist into the man's glossy black helm. The protective glass shattered and the man staggered and fell onto the table. The man ripped the helm from his head and raised his blaster. Mission broke her glass over the Sith's head, cracking his skull and rendering him unconscious.

"Did you see that?" She exclaimed, "I've always wanted to do that!"

"Mission, get down!" Bastila snapped at her and kicked the second Sith in the back of the leg. Instantly half a dozen bar patrons stood up and quickly approached the two Jedi.

"Uh, guys?" Mission asked nervously. The Sith drew a collection of knives and single-shot blasters from pockets and hidden holsters. Alexander quickly glanced around and saw a table of several grizzled, stern faced men and pig-like Gamorreans.

"Hey!" Alex called to them and flipped a credit pad over to them. A scared man with a spiked Mohawk caught the device in mid air and glanced at it with his one good eye.

"Four hundred credits if you teach our friends here some manners." The mercenaries looked at each other and the leader smiled a toothless smile.

"Well boys, looks like we're getting tanked tonight!" the leader stood on a table, "Let's bash some heads!" the bar erupted in roars as the two sides collided. Jawbones were broken, tables were shattered and bottles thrown. Amidst the chaos, Alexander quickly took Bastila and Mission by their hands and made for the exit.

They emerged into the active streets of Ahto City. Dozens of merchants and travelers were watching the brawl unfold with interest. A few, the brash and reckless ran into the bar, hoping to make a name for themselves with the mercenary clans. Already several Selkath police officers were approaching. They carried stun guns and shock maces and knew how to use them. Alex motioned to a quiet spot near a window and walked over.

"That was SO cool!" Mission exclaimed, "I've never started a brawl. I mean, I've been in dozens sure, but I've never started one! I mean, how you flipped that credit pad over to those badasses? That was the coolest thing ever!"

"Mission, please." Bastila motioned for the Twi'lek to calm down.

"Cool factor aside, do you want to tell me what that was about?" Alex asked, and turned to Shaelas. The Selkath looked worried and glanced around as if afraid of shadows. The Selkath turned to Alexander and sighed.

"My…hurr…it was my fault."

"No, Shaelas. Please sit, you're safe with us." Bastila motioned next to her. The Selkath sat and looked out to the endless sea. Mission was too busy watching the brawl from outside to notice the serious tone the conversation had taken.

"The Sith kidnapped Shaelas' daughter and several other Selkath children." Bastila told Alexander. The young Jedi's face hardened. Bastila could see the anger brimming in his eyes, but said nothing as she shared it.

"What are they doing with them?" Alex asked Shaelas. The native shrugged his shoulders.

"Does it matter?" Bastila asked, harsher than she meant to. Alex blinked at her, and she offered him an apologetic look.

"Of course not." He said, "It would just make finding them easier." He put his hand on Shaelas' knee, "But we will find your daughter none the less, and return her alive and unharmed to you." The Selkath nodded his head slowly.

"I thank you." He said.

"Do you have a safe place to go?" Bastila asked, "Somewhere the Sith can't find you."

"I will return to the water, to my village." The Selkath stood and took several steps away before stopping. He turned to the Jedi, and Bastila was sure she saw sorrow in his black eyes, "Return our children. Prove that Jedi…hurr…are good."

"You have my word." Alexander held his hand over his heart. Shaelas nodded and walked away. He was soon lost in the crowd of on-lookers who were watching the escalating bar fight. Apparently the law enforcers had only made the brawlers angrier.

"What did that man, Roland want?" Bastila asked after a moment.

"What all politicians want." Alex shrugged, "Someone expendable to clean up his mess."

"And where is this mess going to take us?" Bastila asked, fearing she already knew the answer.

"The Sith Embassy." Alex smiled at her, and Bastila's cheeks flushed slightly, "and while we're there, we can ask around about the missing Selkath children."

"How are we getting in?" Mission asked, "It's not like we have a passcard or anything."

"That's where things get…messy." Alex sighed.

"Alex?" Bastila's voice was both reproachful and hopeful. He couldn't hold her gaze and looked away.

"I'm going to need Canderous' help." He said darkly, "And you two should probably return to the Ebon Hawk for few hours."


	10. Manaan Prt II

"I'm not letting you do this."

"There is no other way."

"I refuse to accept that."

"Well I'm sorry, but we don't have time to find an alternate path."

"Just because this is the easy path, doesn't mean it's the right path. A Jedi's life is never easy."

"Don't lecture me. I don't like this any more than you do!"

"Then don't do it! Walk away, and together we can find another way. It's that easy."

"…A Jedi's life is never easy."

Bastila sneered at her partner and turned away. She folded her arms over her chest and took a deep breath to calm herself. It didn't work. Her mind was afire with anger and harsh words and it was taking all her Jedi reserve not to yell at Alex until his ears bled. She took a moment to gather a handful of phrases and sentences to use and turned back to the Jedi next to her.

"Bastila, wait!" Alex held up his hands just as she opened her mouth, "I know what you would say, and I agree with you. In a perfect Galaxy, I would never allow anyone to do this, let alone do it myself. But we don't live in a perfect Galaxy, and there is no other choice."

"Don't hide behind vague language. We know each other better than that, I think." Bastila snapped back, the venom in her voice causing him to wince, "Torture. You are talking about torturing another being. Sith or not, what you are asking to do is wrong."

"We are at war!" Alex exclaimed, "I didn't hear any complaints when we killed those Czerka officers back on Kashyyyk, or when I drove a vibroblade through Calo Nord's ribcage."

"That was different." Bastila snapped back.

"How?" Alexander asked, "What is the moral difference between interrogating a Sith, or killing a Sith? In fact, shouldn't killing the Sith be the more objectionable option?"

"I seem to recall you giving some grand speech on Kashyyyk about not doing whatever it takes to win." Bastila glared at him, "Something about not willing to do what the Sith do. Well torture falls under that category." This gave Alexander a moment of hesitation. Bastila seized upon it and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Look, I'm not saying the Sith are right, and I'm not saying they deserve our mercy." Bastila moved her hand to his cheek and felt the prickle of the stubble there, "I am asking for patience. You don't need to torture someone."

"It's not torture."

"Canderous has a blade as long as my forearm!" Bastila yelled back. She was rapidly losing her patience with the man before her. Part of her, the paranoid and secretive part worried deeply. Was the Sith known as Revan beginning to return? Surely the Alexander Stargaze she knew and cared for deeply would never condone such extreme measures.

"That's purely psychological." Alex explained, "I told him if he sheds a single drop of the man's blood, we'd leave him on Manaan to rot." Bastila snorted slightly, amused by the idea.

"Serve that warmonger right." She said under her breath.

"Besides, it I really wanted to torture another person, I'd just let Mission cook for them." Alex smirked slightly. Bastila bit her lip and quickly looked away. Images of the mystery meal the Twi'lek teen had cooked for the crew played in her mind. She remembered horrible cramps, motion sickness and spending hours in the washroom. She coughed several times, trying to hide her laughter. After a moment she cleared her throat and looked back at him, her face an emotionless mask.

"Humor will not sway me, Alexander." She did her best to glare at him, but her eyes were still amused. He noticed and walked closer and pulled her into an embrace. Their foreheads touched and she draped her arms over his shoulders. His hands rested gently on her hips. For reasons too deep and emotional for Bastila to want to consider, this position felt absolutely natural and perfect.

"If humor won't work, then maybe my devilish good looks will." He smiled and she hated herself for it, but she smiled back.

"It won't work." She managed.

"Why?" He asked, tilting his head from side to side, as if daring her to kiss him. She fought hard not to rise to the challenge.

"Because I hate you." Her voice was low, amused and frustrated in equal measures. The beginnings of a smile played at the corners of her lips. He grinned his cocky, just-give-up grin.

"I think that's a lie. I can see it in your eyes."

"And you did that without torturing me. See, the simplest ways are the best." She smiled. Bastila looked away to hide her eyes. He could read her like a book even without their ever-present Force bond.

"Bastila?" He tilted her head back towards him, "I-"

"Alex, please!" She suddenly exclaimed, "I'm asking you as a fellow Jedi, as your partner, and as your friend… as someone who lov-" She stopped herself and took a deep breath, "Please, don't do this." He held her gaze for a long moment and sighed.

"Do you trust me?"

"You know I do." She saw the conflict in his eyes and for a moment though she had convinced him.

"Then trust me now." He took both her hands in his and looked deep into her eyes, "You said earlier we know each other enough to be completely truthful, right?"

"I…" Bastila hesitated for a moment, "yes, of course."

"I will never lie to you, and I know you will never lie to me." His eyes never wavered and Bastila felt like she would melt under his gaze,"I trust you to be honest with me."

"…Always."

"Then be honest with me now. You're worried I will fall to the Dark Side if I do this? That if I stare into the Abyss, the Abyss will stare back?"

"Not fall, but begin the journey." She looked away, "Yes I'm worried. You've stayed true to the Light so far, but who's to say when and where the first chink in our morality will occur?"

"Then I promise you, here and now, that I will never abandon the Light." He smiled ever so slightly, "I will never abandon you." Bastila tried not to blush, and looked down at the ground.

"This isn't about us." She whispered.

"To me it is." He cupped her chin and she looked into his blue eyes, "How could we be together if I'm evil?"

"We're not actually together _yet_." She said but quickly added, "Not that the Jedi would let us be together mind."

"One problem at a time, beautiful." He chuckled, "One problem at a time. If I keep our bond open the entire time, so you can see and hear everything I do, you can be the angel on my shoulder. The second I do anything you don't like, I'll stop."

"You've done plenty I haven't liked, and you've never stopped" She countered.

"What?" He put a hand on her cheek and stroked her, "You mean this?"

"Mmmm…" Bastila moaned slightly, lost in the warmth of his touch. A heartbeat later her eyes popped open, "I mean yes, that!"

"Well, if you _really_ want me to stop, then I will." He let her go, and she shivered in the sudden cold. He noticed the frustration in her eyes and smiled to himself.

"Do we have a deal?" He asked after a moment. Bastila sighed.

"I don't like this. But under the circumstances…do you swear no physical harm with come to him?"

"Nothing that won't heal within a few days."

"Alex."

"I can't promise an entirely peaceful interrogation. What if the Sith had you prisoner? Do you think they'd show mercy?" He shook his head, "I can promise restraint. Nothing more." Bastila held his gaze for a long moment while she went over everything. She could completely understand where he was coming from, and where it any other person doing the interrogating, she wouldn't have a problem.

But it wasn't some random Republic operative. It was him. It was a reformed, albeit unwillingly, Sith Lord. How far could she let him go? How far was too far for a war-criminal? Not for the first time since starting this quest, Bastila wished she could pause time and just work everything out. But time was against them. She held out her hand.

"Deal." Alex looked at her outstretched hand as if it was plagued.

"What, no kiss?" She let out an incredulous gasp.

"You just used your charm to talk a young woman into a bad idea, and you're about to go interrogate a man with Canderous Ordo of all people!" She smiled wickedly, "we're both Jedi, you smell like dead fish, and now you have the gall to ask me for a kiss?"

"I…um…" Alex stammered, "Perhaps just a handshake then." She laughed and grabbed the gorget of his armor. Before he could react, she pulled him forward and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. She chose a spot just next to his lips. After a moment, she pulled away and left Alexander standing in his room like a dying fish.

Bastila quickly made her way to her room, ignoring a look from Juhani and Cath as he tried to start a conversation. She opened the door quickly and locked it behind her. She fell against the wall and let out a long hard sob. Her body shook and she held her face in her hands as she cried. Tears of anger and sorrow flowed freely down her face.

He cared for her so much. He trusted her so much. He truly believed she would never hurt him or keep anything from him. How could Alex be so blind? Couldn't he see what a viper she really was? Bastila's mind raced with images of her assault on Revan's flagship and the steps she took to save his life. She had handed the unconscious Sith over to the Jedi, and they had created the very man she cried over now. She remembered their time together on Taris, and Dantooine. Those days spent training in the golden fields around the Jedi Enclave, of racing across the estates and meditating by the steams and brooks had been the best of her life. She would have been happy to spend the rest of her days on that planet, with Alexander. But the Council had stolen that future from her. Her mood suddenly darkened.

The Jedi! The Force-damned council! How could they do this to him? How could they ask her to do this to him? Couldn't they see what this quest would do to her? Did they even care? Bastila lashed out with her powers and flung a datapad across the room. It shattered against the steel wall in a cloud of sparks and powdered glass. For one horrible second, her anger boiled over and she hated the Jedi. She hated them for what they forced her to do, for the secrets she was oath-bound to keep. She hated them for their arrogance and self-assuredness. The Galaxy was so simple to them. The Light wins, and the Dark fades. Casualties of body, or in Bastila's case, of heart were irrelevant. Her hand traced the spot on her cheek where Alexander had touched her.

She wanted him. She _needed_ him. She could go to him. Bastila knew Alex wouldn't ask question, at least not right away. He would hold her, comfort her. If she was lucky, Bastila could get away with several hours of comfort and gentle cuddling before he asked what was bothering her. But ask he would. It was in Alex's nature to be protective, and comforting. His damn near perfect, loving nature.

Force-damn it, Bastila hated her situation. She felt betrayed, lied to. The meditations her Masters had sworn would calm her had failed. Her heart ached in a way she never imagined possible. It ached for the man the very same Masters had sworn she would never develop feeling for. Was there anything the Jedi Masters had been correct about? Did it mean anything to still follow their teachings? There was only one person she wanted to follow, only one person whose emotions mattered to her. She would tell him the truth, and the Jedi council be damned! He deserved to know and the guilt was tearing her mind apart.

Bastila emerged into the cold steel hallway of the Ebon Hawk. Her stomach twisted in knots, and her heart pounded in her chest. She approached the grey door, labeled "02". In an act of humility, and no little amount of charm, Alexander had given Bastila the largest room of the ship; the "Captain's Quarters" as it was known. It had been a simple gesture as the quarters were not much bigger than the others, but the meaning had been well received. He trusted her, looked up to her even.

How would he react to what she was about to tell him? Would Alex strike her down? Bastila put the thought from her mind and knocked on the door. A moment passed before the door opened with a low hydraulic hiss. Alex stood in the doorway with a gear-pack slung over his shoulder. His trusty blaster and lightsaber were buckled to his belt.

"Hey, I was just leaving." He said with a smile.

"Leaving?" Bastila repeated, her mind going blank.

"Yeah, you know, with Canderous?" He looked at her and laughed awkwardly, "Are you ok? You looked…troubled. Did you have a vision or something?"

"I…no, nothing like that." Bastila looked down at the floor, "Alex, when we find this starmap, can we talk?"

"About us?" He sighed.

"No, no, no" She stammered, "Well, yes, in a way. It's just I-" Alex put a finger to her lips, silencing her.

"Bastila, I told you I would give you time." His voice was soft, never showing a glimpse of resentment, "Take all the time you need, and think as hard as need. We still have a long way to go before this quest is over. We have time." Bastila's anger flooded from her body in waves. Just being near him was intoxicating. He was like a drug, and so long as Bastila was near him she could stave of withdrawal.

"Hey" Alex put both hands on her shoulders, "Why don't you go round up Mission and T3-M4, and get some fresh air?"

"….Fresh air?" She asked, "On Manaan?"

"You know what I meant." Alex grumbled, "Bitch."

"Fine smart-ass, I suppose young Mission and I should go wait for you in Ahto City." She scoffed and walked away, swaying her hips as she did, "I hope I don't run into some drunks looking for a good time again."

Bastila gasped suddenly as Alexander pushed her against the wall. His arms held her in place, and he stared down at her with barely contained hunger. In the second it took to register what was happening, Bastila's surprise was replaced with a similar desire.

"I will never let some disgusting, base-born cur lay one finger on you." His breath warmed her face and she breathed him in. His hands gripped her arms and slid down her bare skin. Bastila shivered under his touch and squirmed. She put one arm around his neck and the other on his chest. She pressed herself against him, relishing the hunger in his eyes. By the Force, he wanted her so badly!

"Oh really?" She asked, biting her lip seductively, "What are you going to do about it?" His lips hovered centimeters from hers. She could feel his warm, smothering breath against her skin and shivered with excitement.

"Do you want me to kiss you?" He asked. Bastila looked into his eyes, those bright blue eyes.

"Alex…you son of a bitch." She managed. He leaned closer and his lips brushed against her neck. She hissed suddenly but didn't move. He was so warm that all her anger drained from her body.

"Do you want me stop?" His voice was low, and husky in her ear.

"Oh Force, no!" She whined, "I never want you to stop." He nibbled her ear and she gasped with delight. After a moment, Bastila pushed gently on his chest and he responded instantly and backed away. Their eyes met and she saw the same hunger as before, but he reined it in, controlled it. She was pleased to see he still had control over his emotions, even if it had slipped the leash slightly.

"I don't want to stop, I really don't." She told him, "But right now we have a starmap to find. I hope…when we finish this mission, and Malak has been given his due, we _will_ continue this conversation." She looked into his blue eyes and hugged him gently, "I'm not letting them take you from me."

"Take…me?" Alex asked curiously, "Who are you talking about?" The color drained from Bastila's face and she stammered.

"I…um…" She said, nodding her head furiously, "The Sith, that is. I'm not letting the Sith take you from me." He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Nothing will keep me from you." He held her for one long, blissful moment. Bastila closed her eyes and her heart finally calmed down. That had been too close.

The Jedi part of her mind was barely more than a whisper, but still it nagged her. Duty, honor, control; these things had been ingrained into Bastila since she was but a toddler. Despite how much she wanted to stay in his arms, Bastila knew she had a greater purpose to fufill. There would be time for cuddling and sweet words when the Galaxy was once again at peace. She pulled away from her partner and gave him a measured look. He smiled humorlessly and nodded.

"Back to being a Jedi?" He asked.

"Back to Jedi." She nodded and offered him a wink, "For the moment at least." A loud cough drew both the Jedis attention to a large, armed figure leaning in a doorframe at the end of the hall.

"I'm sorry am I interrupting something?" Canderous asked mockingly. Alex chuckled but Bastila shot him a death glare.

"Yes, actually." She snapped, "Alexander and I were having a meaningful discussion."

"Oh, I stand corrected." Canderous said as he unfolded his arms and strode over, "I'm not sorry."

Bastila glowered at him, and were he a weaker man, her gaze would have paralyzed him with fear. As it stood, the Mandelorian was as afraid of Bastila Shan as he was of the teen Twi'lek Mission. And true enough, they both bothered him to the extreme. Bastila was little better than spoiled Royalty, and Mission did those blasted impressions.

"Ready to go?" Alex asked, stepping between the two. He knew of their mutual dislike of each other and was determined not to see them come to blows.

"I've been ready for the last five minutes while you and princess here have a _meaningful discussion_." Canderous grinned. Bastila was a heartbeat away from lashing out at the Mandelorian when Alex slapped his hand on Canderous' back.

"Well let's go then." He turned back to Bastila, "Keep in touch." She nodded at him and he gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before leaving. Bastila watched him disappear around the corner with Canderous and a moment later, she heard the Ebon Hawk's landing ramp groan open and she knew he was off ship.

Bastila put her hand to her neck, and imagined she could still feel Alexander's burning lips on her skin. Her heart fluttered with desire but she controlled it, denied it. For the moment at least, she was a still a Jedi and would do her duty. Bastila pulled out her communicator and keyed into Mission's frequency.

"Mission, still interesting in some adventure?" She asked. There was a pause, and then:

"_Will I get my fracking ID card back?_" Bastila smiled slightly.

"Put it this way; it can't hurt your chances."

0000000

"So, you're the one Roland sent to help with the interrogation?" The jailer was older, with graying hair and deep lines in his face. Alexander nodded absently, studying the man in the holo-cell. At his side Canderous Ordo smiled at the prospect of violence. Although torture was seen as somewhat dishonorable by the Mandelorians, Canderous had made an exception because the Sith were known for slaying civilians, women and children and non-combatants, and that alone silenced any respect he had for the Sith Empire.

"What can you tell me about him?" Alex asked. The jailer shrugged.

"We caught him snooping around a few days ago, trying to get into the Republic ports." The man shook his head and laughed bitterly, "I'll give it to the Sith, they know how to train their spies."

"Explain." Canderous' voice was hard, and the jailer winced.

"The Sith protect their best spies with some sort of Force feedback system." The jailer told them, "Any attempt to use the Force to garner information shuts the spy's mind down completely. Like a hard-reset for a computer terminal."

_You get all that?_ Alex whispered through his bond.

_The Force is a powerful tool. It can protect a mind from harm, but also destroy a mind utterly._ Bastila responded back, _Tread carefully. You promised not to harm this man, and I consider collapsing his mind to be harmful. _

"Shall we get started?" Canderous asked, and drew the foot-long hacking blade from his thigh.

_God that man disgusts me!_ Bastila snapped in Alex's mind. The Jedi smiled slightly and nodded at the jailer.

"Have you learned anything from his so far?" Alex asked.

"Not much. We know he was with another man when we first spotted him. Another spy, no doubt. He fled, but I don't think this spy knows he got away." The jailer read from a datapad, "We also found some…personal documents. It would appear this spy has a wife, named Tela."

"That will be useful." Canderous chimed in, "Trust a woman to always lead to a man's downfall." Alex could sense Bastila growling over their bond, and he gently stroked her mind, comforting it.

"Play along Canderous, and this shouldn't be hard at all." Alex said, "And no cutting. For all intents and purposes, assume that blade is as dull as you mind." This made Bastila laugh, and allowed Alex to relax momentarily.

"One more thing." The jailer produced twin syringes from a table nearby, "This is a special concoction, a truth serum. This one here is the antidote. The serum has adverse side-effects. Temporary memory loss, dementia, body tremors…the usual. Too much of it could kill him."

"Understood." Alex nodded to the jailer and he deactivated the energy-shield around him. The Sith looked around and the Republic jailer pushed him to the floor.

"Some people want to talk to you." He said menacingly. Alex waved the jailer away and approached the Sith.

"What do you want?" The man asked. Alex studied him for a moment. He nodded to Canderous who stabbed the truth-serum syringe into the man's arm. The Sith grunted in pain. Alex dropped down to his knees and gripped the man by the hair.

"Tell me about Tela." He said calmly. The Sith's eyes widened.

"Tela? How did you find out about her?"

"That's not important." Alex said, "What is important is that we can make your life, and hers very comfortable in the Republic."

"Or we can make her life very painful." Canderous sneered and looked at his knife meaningfully, "And short."

_Alex._ Bastila warned.

_No one is hurt. An empty threat, nothing more. _

"Ha! You think a bribe will work?" The man laughed, "You don't know the Sith well if you think a few credits will turn me!" Alex sighed and looked at Canderous.

"Looks like he doesn't love his wife." He said, "Well, I guess you should go show her how Mandelorians say hello."

"She's a Sith, like me." The man sneered, "She's strong."

"Canderous." Alex said and the Mandelorian stepped forward. He took the Sith by the back of the neck and held his knife against his skin.

"I want you to picture your wife." Canderous whispered, "Imagine her the day you and her were bonded. She's beautiful in her dress. Her skin is smooth and her hair is perfect. My Gods, she radiant. An image of beauty and love. Truly something to cherish." Alex looked on passively. He could see the Sith was trying not to imagine, but he was failing.

"Now, imagine her being violated over and over…and over!" Canderous thrust his knife into the air to emphasize the image, "She's weeping. Oh, it hurts so badly. She begs for them to stop. But they don't. They use her body over and over. When they're done, they leave her on the ground, abused and bleeding."

_Stop this right now!_ Bastila yelled in Alex's mind. The Jedi was shrewd enough to listen.

"Enough." He said firmly. Canderous looked up and his disappointment was obvious, but he backed away. Alex walked over to the distraught Sith.

"I must apologize for my friend. His imagination is quite…active." Alex said casually, "He's still a little annoyed the Mandelorians lost the war."

"If you really love you wife, you'll tell us what we want to know. You'll take my deal, leave the Sith forever, and find peace in the Republic." The man nodded gratefully.

"What do you want to know?"

"We already know about your companion." Alex walked back and forth, "He is almost ready to cut a deal."

"It took some…creative persuasion." Canderous said darkly and twisted his knife in the air as if drilling into something. The spy gulped, and looked away.

"He's already given us more than enough." Alex said, "We really don't need you. We could just give you back to the Sith." Canderous squatted down and balanced on the tips of his toes.

"Trust me, I've been in the military for many years." He grinned, "The Sith will assume you talked, and that you made a deal in exchange for your freedom. If you think I'm bad, that I can hurt your wife, imagine what a group of Sith enforcers, or better yet, a Sith Force-dabbler can do to her."

_Alex!_ Bastila's voice screamed in his mind.

_Almost done._ Alex responded, _I can see it in his eyes. It's over._

_You and I will have words, Alex! _

"Alright, alright!" The Sith screamed, "I'll tell you anything. Just make sure she's safe. Send her to a planet deep in the Republic, far away from the Sith."

"Done." Alex turned to the jailer, "Issue the order. Find her, and get her somewhere safe."

"The Republic isn't going to spend credits saving a Sith's wife." The jailer whispered furiously. Alex glared at him for a moment, then reached into a pocket and produced a credit-pad.

"Here, two thousand credits." He handed the man the pad, "I'll front the bill myself. Find her, relocate her somewhere nice." The jailer saw the anger in the Jedi's eyes and quickly walked away to give the order.

"She likes oceans." The Sith whispered.

"Somewhere with a beach!" Alex yelled at the retreating Republic jailer.

_Still think I'm going to go all evil on you, Bastila?_ Alex asked into the Force.

_That was very kind of you, Alexander_. Bastila whispered back, _You almost crossed the line, but maybe there is hope for you yet._

_Does this mean I can kiss you senseless later?_

_Goodbye, Alex!_ Bastla cut the conversation off, and Alex chuckled lightly.

"Now, tell us." Canderous put a hand on the Sith's back, "What's the Sith Embassy's entry code?"

"It's Rho-six-five-two-nine-eight-seven-seven-one-Gladius" The Sith's shoulders sagged and Alex could see he was a defeated man.

"Canderous, deactivate the cell." Alex nodded at a terminal next to the Sith.

"What?"

"Canderous, deactivate the cell." Alex said, emphasizing each work darkly, "Let the man return to his wife." The power field around the Sith faded away and the man fell to his knees, gasping for breath.

"Go." Alex commanded, "You're free. Get your wife, and live peacefully." The Sith nodded and stood on shaking legs.

"May the Force be with you." He said after a moment and jogged lightly towards the door, and freedom.

"I bet you did that just to impress the princess." Canderous mocked after a moment.

"I'd watch it around her." Alex warned, "Just because she's sweet on me, doesn't mean I can stop her from castrating you. Besides, I think I'm in the space-dog house for a while."

"Ha!" Canderous barked with laughter, "Women! Terrible creatures, the lot of them!"

000000

For the second time that day, Bastila was sitting at a table with Mission Vao and T3-M4. But if the Twi'lek had though the Jedi distant before, it paled in compassion to Bastila's clouded mind now. The young Jedi's mind was a torrent of thoughts and emotions. It was an alien thing to her, truly defining explanation.

Bastila had always prided herself on her reason and control. Even as a neophyte in the halls of the Jedi temples, when other children had played harmless pranks on each other or their good-natured Masters, Bastila had been calm. As she aged, and the duties assigned to her grew more important, she had only become more frigid.

When she had been sent with Master Vandar to Sebastian's Hope to negotiate a cease-fire between the warring mining colonies, she had never allowed a single emotion to tarnish her face. On Mal-Core, in the middle of a Gundark infestation, she had been emotionless and calculating. Even during her boarding action against Revan's flagship, she had never allowed emotion to cloud her mind or actions. She was Bastila, the wonder-student, the Ice-Queen to her fellow padawans.

What had happened to her? Bastila the cold was now Bastila the giddy, Bastila the lustful. That more than anything else burned in her and shamed her. She lusted after Alexander with such passion she could barely control it. He had slipped, and decorated her neck with kisses, and she had loved every second of it. How could she be falling so far from the perfect student she had spent her entire life creating?

What's more, why wasn't she more upset? Six months ago, Bastila would have screamed at, railed against, and maybe even struck Alex for daring to kiss her. Now she only wanted to beg him to continue. Ideas and actions that were forbidden to Jedi, things she had spent almost twenty years denying were now becoming the objects of her desire. Romance, passion, sex, even love. She had never embraced these ideas as a Jedi. And yet…try as she might to deny them, still they had found purchase in her soul. When she tried to meditate, her mind drifted to Alexander. When she ate all she could imagine was a romantic dinner for two. Even in combat, when her immediate concerns should be self-preservation and victory, the only thought in her mind was Alex, and his safety. On Kashyyyk, when she though him lost to the jungle, her soul had cried out for comfort. It had taken a true act of will not to scream in anguish and literally cut down every overgrown tree until Alexander was safe in her arms. Thankfully it had not come to that.

Another part of Bastila mind worried for Alexander's mind itself. How far could he go? Was the darkness, the malevolence the Dark Side offered a part of him? Worse, Bastila knew that she and him shared dreams often. Had he had any of the dreams about Revan's life? Was Alex playing ignorant? Could he already be the Sith Lord again. Bastla refused to believe it were so. The Dark Side was noticeable; it was like oil on the soul, greasy and foul. She would have detected it. Bastila sighed; she had a very fine line to walk. On one hand, she was his watcher and if need be, executioner. On the other, she was the object of his affection, and he hers.

"Ok, seriously, what are you sulking about?" Mission suddenly exclaimed. Bastila looked over at her and smiled sadly.

"I am not…sulking." Bastila stammered, "I am contemplating."

"This is about you and Alexander isn't it?"

"I'm not really comfortable talking about this with…anyone." Bastila tried to be polite. Mission merely shrugged.

"Way I see it, you care about him, and he cares about you. Let that be the end of it." Mission

"It's not that simple, Mission." Bastila whispered.

"Maybe." Mission nodded her head, "Or maybe you're making it more complicated than it needs to be."

"What do you mean?" Bastila asked, curious. It was rare that Mission acted mature, but when she did, it was wise to listen.

"You're a Jedi, and that's cool 'n all, but I don't think it makes you happy." Mission held up a hand when Bastila made to interrupt, "I'm not saying you don't have a sense of belonging. The Jedi raised you, and took care of you. But you can't deny they made you a bitch. When I see you with Alex however, the human Bastila shines through. You should see your face when he enters the room. You practically glow."

"I…I do not glow." Bastila said incredulously.

"Yeah, you really do Bas." Mission laughed, "And I don't think the Jedi make you glow. Only Alex can do that."

"I owe the Jedi everything." Bastila said sadly, "I can't just leave them because…I glow."

"Who glows?" Alex's voice suddenly asked. Bastila gasped and turned around. He looked back at her as he approached. His face portrayed his amusement.

"Bastila glows." Mission said brightly, "Whenever you're around." Alex sat down and looked at his partner curiously.

"You glow?"

"I…I do not glow!" Bastila stammered, "Mission is just being…well, Mission." The Twi'lek stuck her tongue out at the Jedi. Bastila ignored her.

"So, now we have the Sith's access codes." Bastila nodded towards him.

"We do." Alex smiled, "I say we go for a little stroll down to the Embassy and ask a few questions."

00000

The walk to the Sith Embassy took the better part of ten minutes with the mid-afternoon crowds. Hundreds of doc-workers left their posts for the mid-day meal and Bastila figured that would be beneficial to their mission. With less workers around, perhaps the four of them could sneak around without drawing too much attention. As they approached the great steel doors of the Sith Embassy, Bastila was relieved to see the guards were off having their meal.

Mission quickly approached the control-pad and looked it over. "Shouldn't be a problem at all." She said cheerfully. Alex gave her the Sith pass-codes and the Twi'Lek set about hacking the computer. Alex walked up next to Bastila and took her hand.

The Jedi looked over at his handsome features and he smiled sadly at her. She nodded her head slowly and leaned against him. Her head rested on his shoulder and she took the moment to relax. She glanced over at Mission. The teen motioned to her face and mouthed the word "glow" to her. Bastila blushed slightly and breathed in Alex's scent.

After what seems like an exaggeratedly long time, Mission finally hacked the door and it slid open on salt-rusted hydraulics. The intimacy of the moment faded completely and Bastila was quickly impassive. Alex drew the lightsaber from his belt and led the way, the face set in a grimace. Mission was the last in, and she nervously drew the heavy ion blaster from her belt. The small group passed through a steel-grey corridor, the walls bare and lifeless. The end of the hallway opened into a spacious room, and in the center stood a semi-circular desk and a sharp faced woman.

The Sith looked up from her computer terminal and Bastila was struck by how attractive she was. Far too attractive to be a Sith worker. The woman had rich blonde hair pulled back in a tight scalp lock, and thin angular features. Were it not for the frown on her face, Bastila would have called her beautiful.

"You!" The woman receptionist called out, "Who are you, and how did you get in here?"

_I'll handle this_. Alex whispered in Bastila's mind.

"You don't remember me? I'm hurt!" Alex said happily, striding forward and offering the woman an embrace, "Remember, we met at the cantina three nights ago?"

"What?" The woman asked hesitantly. Bastila could sense Alex using the Force to plant false memories in the woman's mind.

"Remember, we talked all night." He told the still confused receptionist, "You told me about your sister, and that scar on your hip." The woman's hand traveled blindly to her side, touching the edge of her grey pants.

"My scar…" She breathed, her eyes glassed over.

"Yes. I told you I liked your hair up. We danced late into the night. Remember?" Alex was really starting to enjoy himself. Bastila was not. After a moment, realization dawned on the Sith's face and she smiled. In an instant, she wrapped her arms around Alexander's neck, and buried her lips on his. Bastila's mouth hung open in shock and she felt waves of jealously building inside her. After a moment the receptionist pulled away from her partner and she was still smiling.

"How could I forget?" the woman giggled, "Why haven't you tried to contact me?"

"I've been busy, you know, command stuff." Alex said flirtatiously, "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." Her put a hand to her cheek and she sighed.

"Ohhh…man of mystery." The receptionist bit her finger seductively, "I approve."

"Excuse me" Bastila suddenly snarled, glaring at Alexander, "We're on a tight schedule and we really must be moving along. I would hate for anything bad to happen to happen to anyone here." Bastila gritted her teeth and Alex visibly paled.

"Of course." The receptionist keyed in the entry code and the blast doors into the base proper opened. Bastila ushered Mission and T3-M4 into quickly, "Should I inform Commander Grann?"

"Won't be necessary." Alex said casually, "He'll know we're here soon enough." Bastila almost spat at the look the woman was giving him.

"Come on." Bastila gripped his arm and pulled him through the door. She cast one last burning glare at the Sith. The woman ignored her and winked at Alexander before the doors closed behind them.

"That wasn't so bad, I-"Bastila suddenly lunged at Alexander and pinned him to the wall. Her forearm pressed against his neck and he could see murder burning in her eyes.

"If I _ever_ see you kiss a Sith again, I will bury my lightsaber to the hilt in your stomach and let you bleed to death on the cold floor." She snarled at him, "Clear?"

"I…it was part of the mission. I-"

"No, you don't argue. You have pissed me off enough for one day, so you have no room to joke around. You say clear." Bastila's eyes narrowed dangerously. Her partner gulped and nodded.

"Clear."

"Good, now don't say a frecking word." She was still shaking with jealously and anger. He nodded and she removed her arm from his neck. "Let's go." She commanded and walked away. Alex rubbed his neck tenderly and saw Mission standing a meter away, her arms crossed and a grin on her face. T3-M4 didn't even seem to be aware of the situation and followed Bastila like a loyal pet.

"What?" Alex asked after a moment.

"I like you Alex, so I'll give you some advice." Mission sighed in amusement, "Don't ever make a woman jealous."


	11. Manaan Prt III

Marik Sor was born on Remis IV. Well, technically he was born on an Oberon-class cargo hauler, the _Space Clipper_, to a loving mother and a distant father. His mother had been an engineer and his father a communication officer on the bridge crew. While in orbit around Remis IV, his mother and father had stolen away on a shuttle to the surface and started a new life for themselves. They had lived modestly, and young Marik lived like many of the young boys in the coastal town his parents had settled in. He played ball in the streets, swam the ocean outside of town, and for a few years he was in a "gang". Little more than a loose collection of child pranksters, the most serious crime they had ever committed was stealing fish from a local merchant. A crime that had cost Marik's parents and the parents of his fellow thieves a grand-total of fifteen credits.

In primary school, Marik's stunted criminal record had gone into over-drive. The gangs of trouble-makers were now violent thieves, rapists and arsonists. At fourteen Marik committed his first assault. Sixteen, his first rape. Two weeks later, Marik would shoot and kill the girl's older brother outside a cantina. Sentenced to thirty years in prison by a local arbiter in a brown robe, life looked to soon be over for Marik Sor.

And then the Sith came. They came in a wave of fire and destruction. Drop-pods, landers and assault craft filled the night sky. Remis IV had a standing army of two-hundred thousand, and a small airforce of ten star-fighters and one tactical bomber loving called _Big Hank_. The entirety of the defense force was slaughtered to a man in just less than one hour. With all serious resistant destroyed, the Sith set about raiding and stealing everything of value. Space craft, food-stuffs, weapons, raw minerals, anything that could be of use to the crusading Sith. On the last day, the Sith had assaulted the single prison Remis IV had. The guards had been shot, and the warden had been crucified on the front gate. The prisoners, however, had been shuffled at gun-point into massive shuttles bound for orbit. As the last ship left Remis IV surface, gun batteries and lance-cannons on the Sith warships had blasted the planet into oblivion.

Saved from a life behind bars, Marik and his fellow criminals had jumped at the offer to fight for the Sith as terror-enforcers and strong-arm men. They had trained him, and given him a suit of shining silver armor. The helmet he wore inspired fear in everyone he met, and his blaster-rifle rarely went a single day without being fired. The Sith had even given him a vibro-knife for when he was feeling creative. Marik had participated in the Ebon City massacre and had been in the boarding party that took the Republic's flagship, the _Alexandria_, in three bloody hours. It was a beautiful career of rape, murder and destruction. He wasn't paid well, but he was allowed to keep whatever he could take from the field. Spare credits, clothing, jewelry and even people. Marik had a nice group of slaves to pleasure him, including Twi'lek twins and the daughter of a Republic admiral. The son of two starship operators had finally found his calling.

His skills at terrorizing had not gone unnoticed, and Marik had been transferred to a border world. They called in Manaan, but to him it was just another smelly fish world. He was a guard, and an enforcer. Marik most enjoyed collecting dues from those who couldn't pay it, usually taking it from daughters or wives as trade. Life was good, until the day the Embassy was breached.

Everything had happened so fast. Marik was on duty in the control room, eyeing one of the younger mechanics as she repaired a broken protocol droid. She was new, a replacement from one of the local unions and she looked delicious. Then the door had exploded, and there was a flash of blue and yellow. Blaster raised, Marik fired wildly into the smoke. A flash of red, and someone screamed. He smiled.

A figure charged through the haze, holding blue light in her hands. She was beautiful, with striking features, soft-brown hair and hazel eyes. She wore a suit of armor similar to a Republic Ranger, and it showed off her ample breasts. Such a waste to have to kill her; she looked like she would be a minx in bed. Marik fired, expecting to drop the bitch with his first shot. Somehow the beauty had dodged, gliding past the lasers with ease. He fired again, and this time she reflected the shots with her glowing blue blade. The woman raised her hand and Marik was hurled into the wall. Something broke in his chest and he tasted blood in his mouth. Just as he stumbled to his feet, pain flared in his stomach. The woman stood over him, a look of disgust on her features. Her blue energy blade was lodged hilt deep in his chest. Marik's eyes glassed over behind his helm and as death took him, a single tear rolled down his cheek.

Bastila wrenched her lightsaber from the Sith trooper's stomach and turned back to the battle proper. Or, the massacre, if she was honest. Misson's skill with explosives was truly impressive. A few well placed impact-charges and an entire blast-door had been reduced to powder and slag. Bastila walked through the smoke back towards her companions. Alex dispatched the last of the Sith, an officer of some sort, with a quick strike to the neck. Young Mission and T3-M4 were already at the computer terminals, searching for any usable information. A groan of pain drew Bastila's attention to a young woman on the floor. She writhed in pain, and Bastila saw the unmistakable hole of a blaster wound in her back. Bastila knelt by the woman and turned her over.

"Please, help me." The woman managed through gritted teeth, "That bastard trooper shot me in the back."

"Alexander, over here!" Bastila yelled at her partner. He was at her side in an instant, and produced a medi-pack from his belt.

"Hold still." Alex told her and injected her with a pain-suppressant. He then rolled her on her back and tore the fabric around her wound away. "Oh, this is nothing. Clean wound, already cauterized. You'll be up and about in no time." He began to dress the wound with antibiotics and synthetic flesh.

"Life as a Sith isn't what you thought it would be, huh?" He asked kindly. The woman grunted in pain before answering.

"I'm not a Sith." She said, "I'm a Union worker from the docks. The Sith only rent this place. The ahhh, easy! The Manaan Government still owns it, and we keep it in repair. I, frecking-hell that hurts, I was asked to come out and repair some argh, some malfunctioning droids."

"Oh, you mean this one?" Mission asked sheepishly. The Twi'lek had blasted the droid in question with her ion-blaster and was now searching through the remains for scraps and parts. The young mechanic sighed angrily.

"I spent two hours on that!" She managed, "Couldn't find a damn thing wrong with it."

"If it makes you feel better, it was in perfect working order." Mission said casually and held up a single part, "Just needed a new power-cell."

"Oh…son of a bitch…" The woman growled under her breath. Alex chuckled lightly and pressed the last bandage to the mechanic's back.

"There, that should keep for a few days." Alex stood, "Still, get it checked by a doctor."

"I…you're letting me go?" The mechanic stood slowly with the help of a computer console nearby.

"You said you weren't a Sith, right?" Bastila asked her. The woman nodded. Bastila glanced at Alexander who shrugged and nodded, "Then I see no reason to end your life. Cliché as it sounds; you were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I'm…I'm grateful. Thank you." The woman pulled something from her tool-belt, "Here, take this. It's a master key-card for the complex. I'm not going to need it. I'm off this planet just as soon as I can pack."

"Try Coruscant. They always need more mechanics there." Alex said and took the offered card. The woman nodded.

"That sounds like a good idea to me." She said. Suddenly the entire room was bathed in red light and an alarm claxon started to blare.

"Well that didn't take long." Mission joked and stretched her arms. Alex retrieved an expensive looking pistol from the dead Sith officer and offered it and the medi-pack to the mechanic.

"Take these and get out of here." He said firmly but not unkindly, "You don't want to be here when the Sith send reinforcements." The woman hesitated but snatched the item from the Jedi's hands.

"Thanks." She said, "For everything. I won't forget this...?"

"Alexander." He smiled politely.

"Nasha." The mechanic replied, "Thank you again Alexander." With that she hobbled out of the command room and down the hall. Alex gave Bastila an amused look and nodded to where the mechanic had just been.

"That balance out my earlier actions?" He asked jokingly. Bastila sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I'm not talking about this with you." She said and walked to Mission and the computer the Twi'lek was playing with. Mission pulled up pic-feed of an entrance hallway and gulped.

"Uh, guys…the Sith are coming." She said and pointed at the screen. Bastila and Alex glanced at the feed. It showed an entire Sith tactical squad, and two thick armed lumbering assault droids. But it was the figure in black robes that drew the Jedis' attention.

"Another fallen Jedi." Bastila sighed sadly, "How can there be so many?"

"I'll deal with him." Alex put a hand on her shoulder, "You, Mission and little M4 can deal with the rest."

"Gee, thanks." Mission groaned, "We get ten armored troopers and assault droids, and you get to play swords with a single bad-guy. How very noble of you."

"You want to fight that Sith?" Alex asked menacingly, "Cause you can have my lightsaber if you want."

"No! No sir, it's okay." Mission held up her hand and glanced back at the screen, "A few assault droids should be fun. Yeah, fun! No problem."

00000

Laser fire tore through the hallway, impacting against the walls and blockades without thought. The two assault droids strode forward, each arm ending in high-caliber laser cannons and shoulder mounts boasting rotating Gatling blasters. Their fire chewed up the corner wall Mission stood behind and the Twi'lek held her ion blaster tighter. At the other side of the interchange, Bastila and Alex stood calm and controlled. Each held their lightsaber in one hand, and a flash grenade in the other.

Mission, for her part in the coming battle, held an ion grenade in her hand. At her feet, T3-M4 was similarly armed with his back mounted grenade launcher primed.

"Go!" Alex yelled and hurled his primed grenade down the hall. Bastila, T3-M4 and Misson followed a second later. The two Jedi used their Force powers to carry their grenades over the advancing assault droids and into the Sith troopers beyond. Mission aimed her grenade to come to a halt just in front of the assault droid. For the most part, she succeeded. The grenades went off one after the other in quick succession.

Then the two Jedi were charging down the hallway. Bastila threw one of the assault droids to the side casually and made for the Sith troopers. Alex ran next to her, and winked at her.

_I bet I'll be done before you_. He said into her mind. Bastila smiled at the challenge.

_Fine, loser buys diner_. She responded. Alex chuckled and surged past the dazed troopers. As he passed, he casually drew his blaster and shot one of the troopers in the face. Bastila shook her head and set about ending the Sith.

Mission ran up to one of the downed assault droids, the one Bastila hadn't thrown aside and ripped open the back of its head. Circuits and wires greeted her and she sighed angrily. She pulled the laser cutter from her belt and severed the remote-control circuits from the droid. At her feet, T3-M4 was taking carefully aimed shots at the Sith troopers with twin laser blasters. Mission shook her head and concentrated. She had seconds before the droid restarted. Mission pulled out a small datapad and hard-wired it into the droid's central processor. She then uploaded images of her, Bastila, Alexander and T3-M4 into the assault droid's 'friendly' list, and she erased all the others. Satisfied, she unhooked her datapad and resealed the assault droid's head-casing. The red light in the center of the droid's "face" lit up a second later. It stared at Mission for a long, awkward moment.

"Friendly." Its monotone voice called out, and without another word it turned on its heel and scanned the conflict. "Targets acquired. Terminate." The assault droid marched towards the Sith, its blasters spitting incandescent beams of death.

00000

Bastila ducked under a clumsy vibroblade swing and slashed her attacker across the stomach, severing his spinal cord in the process. The Sith died instantly, and she used the Force to push his remains into the remaining troopers. Over half of the squad was dead, and it had been less than two minutes since she had thrown her grenade. One trooper tried to stand, but Bastila plunged her lightsaber through the top of his skull and into his brain. She pulled it out, spun on her heel and used the second blade of her lightsaber to cut the head from another trooper.

"Die, Jedi!" Someone yelled behind her. She spun and saw a Sith trooper carrying a bulky blaster cannon. The ammo feed of the tank-busting gun spiraled around the Sith and connected to a back-mounted energy pack. Hundreds of laser beams suddenly tore into the Sith. The silver armored trooper danced in sickening, jerky movements as his body was riddled with fire. Several rounds impacted on the energy-pack, and it exploded in a flash of violet energy. Bastila glanced down the hallway and saw the assault droid Mission was suppose to hack advancing on the Sith. Bastila was impressed; the teen worked fast.

The last three Sith troopers were falling back, firing wildly down the hall as they did. Bastila reignited her lightsaber, determined to work off some of the alien emotions of the day.

00000

The instant his lightsaber collided with the Sith's red blade, Alexander knew the Sith was doomed. He was too young, too inexperience and far too emotionally driven to ever win. The Sith attacked like a berserker, striking and slashing with wild abandon. Alex could see the drive in the Sith's eyes, the bloodlust and hatred. Alex blocked each blow with easy and danced around his opponent, further infuriating the Sith. The kid, Alex couldn't bring himself to acknowledge the Sith as a man, lashed out with the Force, but he was inexperienced. What should have thrown Alexander across the room was little more than a breeze that stepped him back a little. Alex swatted the Sith's lightsaber away and sliced away a good portion of his hand in the process. The Sith screamed in pain and lunged at the Jedi.

Alex held out his lightsaber and let the Sith impale himself to the hilt. The anger in the Sith's eyes faded as death took him. Sighing sadly, Alex let the Sith fall to the floor and reached out with the Force to find his companions. Bastila was a few meters down the hall, engaging the remaining Sith garrison. From the sounds of battle, Alex guessed the reprogrammed assault droid was with her. He decided to collect Mission and T3-M4 and help his partner.

Then he heard something that stopped his heart.

"Terminate"

00000

"Terminate." The words struck Mission and filled her with ice. She spun quickly and collided with hard metal. She was knocked from her feet and hit the wall with a thud. The assault droid Bastila had tossed away stood on damaged legs and looked down at the Twi'lek.

The droid's forked feet stomped down on the head of a dead Sith, crushing it in a spray of brain and blood. Mission put a hand to her forehead and tried to clear her eyes. She could only see blurry shapes and soft colors. Over the din of the battle, she head stomping and the ground shook slightly. Something loomed over her with one single red eye glowing like Hell itself. The droid raised blaster cannon and aimed it down at the prone teen.

"Terminate." It's cold, emotionless voice echoed in her head and Mission was paralyzed with fear. Yellow light suddenly erupted from the droid's chest. The assault droid's red eye flickered and died and the metal body went limp. Alex emerged from behind the massive droid and kicked the droid off his lightsaber. Mission looked up at him dumbly.

"You really thought I'd let you have all the fun?" He asked and held out his hand to her. Mission laughed and let herself be helped to her feet.

"I was starting to wonder…" She replied. Alex smiled at this. He then tilted Mission's head to one side and touched a sore spot. Blue blood glistened on his fingers.

"Here," Alex pulled out a can of synthetic flesh and handed it to Mission, "That should do you. It's just a graze."

"Do you just go around, handing out medical supplies to every woman you meet?" Mission asked playfully. Alex grinned at her.

"Maybe, what's it to you?" He asked. Mission giggled.

"I think it's adorable." She leaned in closer and whispered, "And I'm not the only one who's noticed."

_Alexander, I need support!_ Bastila suddenly yelled in his mind.

"Come on." Alex said and took off in a run. Mission and T3-M4 followed on his heels. They passed a group of slain Sith troopers and found Bastila kneeling behind a piece of rubble blasted from the ceiling. She looked over at Alexander when he arrived.

"Sith heavy troopers and several fallen Jedi." She said over the roar of laser fire. Alex peaked up from cover and saw a dozen blood red armored troopers at the end of the hall. The reprogrammed assault droid lay in a heap of smoking parts mid way between the Sith and Jedi. He noticed the thick cabling of a power conduit at the end of the hall and a plan formed in his mind.

"Mission, if we get you to a computer terminal, could you overload the conduit at the end of the hall?" He asked. The Twi'lek stole a glance down the hall and ducked back behind cover when dozens of laser beams impacted the wall next to her.

"I'm sure I can." She asked, "With that tech's master key card, absolutely."

"Right, Bastila take Mission and find her a computer." Alex said. Bastila snapped a look at him.

"What?" She demanded, "You'd send me away from the fight?"

"I need you to look after Mission." He hissed, "What if she runs into a Jedi?" Bastila nodded and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"We won't be long." She promised and leapt from cover. Alex stood up and lashed out with the Force to halt the laser fire aimed at him and his companions. Bastila and Mission disappeared through another door and he ducked back behind cover. T3-M4 rolled over loyally and beeped at him.

"Hey little guy, still got that flame-thrower?" The droid beeped back and blackened nozzle popped out of its head. A small flame ignited and Alex smiled.

"Good. I have a plan."

00000

"Are you're sure you'll find a computer in this room?" Bastila asked, standing guard over the crouching Twi'lek. Mission cut the mainwire from the control pad she spliced open and smiled.

"Of course I am." She said, "I studied the Embassy's layout before the Sith attacked." The door swung open a second later.

"Halt!" A hard voice called to them. Bastila turned and saw five humanoid war droids standing with raised blaster rifles.

"Uh…hi." Mission said and waved. Bastila pushed her to one side as the droids opened fire. Bastila deflected the shots with her lightsaber and gripped one of the droids with the Force.

"Error…Error…" The robot called out before Bastila crushed it completely with her power. A second later, Mission was on her feet and fired a charged ion blast at one of the droids. The shot took it in the arm, burning through metal and wiring and sending electrical sparks flying across its steel body. Smoked poured from the droid's eye sockets and it fell to the ground.

Bastila leapt at the remaining droids and easily sliced the head from one with her lightsaber. With her return stroke, her severed the arm of another droid and then buried her lightsaber in its chest. Mission dispatched the last droid with an aim shot to its head. Bastila took a moment to catch her breath and glared over at the teen.

"Studied the layout, huh?" She asked with a slow grin. Mission shrugged as she entered the room.

"Ok, so I'm not as good a student as you." She said then motioned to a computer on the far side of the room, "See, told you! Computer." Bastila nodded absently and motioned for Mission to get started. The Twi'lek ran over eagerly to the machine and began the processing of splicing into it.

A large object at the end of the room drew Bastila's attention. It resembled a satellite, one you might find hovering above any civilized world in the Republic. It smelled of salt and fish and rust had started to form on several sections of its plating. The numbers "0-4" were marked out in black ink on its side.

"Hey Mission, the Republic lost a survey probe right?" Bastla asked, crouching to study the object.

"Yeah?"

"Does this look like a survey probe to you?" She asked. Mission looked up from the terminal and nodded.

"Best probe I've ever seen." Bastla snorted a laugh and noticed a keypad on the probes side. She pressed the largest button there and the pad turned green. A second later, a small disk rolled out of a slit just next to the pad. Bastila took the disk and pocketed it.

"Guess we have what Roland's wants." She said and walked over to Mission. The Twi'lek pulled up a security camera of the hallway Alex was still in. The Sith were advancing slowly, saturating Alex's cover with fire.

"Quick, overload that power conduit!" Bastila said with more force than she meant to. Mission typed in the command.

_Stand by_. Bastila whispered in Alex's mind.

00000

_Stand by _

Alex nodded despite the fact no one could see him. He looked at T3-M4.

"Do it!" The astro-droid activated its advanced shields and rolled out from cover. It raised the flamer-thrower and fired. But instead of targeting the Sith, it bathed the ceiling with burning chemicals. A second later alarms blared and fire-suppressants sprinklers dropped from the ceiling and sprayed the hallway with cool water. Alex leapt from cover and picked up the small droid as if it were a pet. He leapt through a open door and landed in a adjacent hallway.

The power conduit exploded in a brilliant display of electricity and energy. The Sith closest to it were evaporated instantly. Thin, lanky strands of lightning leapt at the Sith, and found ample purchase in their wet armor. The men screamed as the died, their skin cooked in their armor. The Sith Jedi lasted a few moments longer, their Force shields holding off the electricity for a time. But they too soon fell to the power of the overloaded conduit.

Alex let out a long sigh and put the droid back on the ground.

"You okay?" He asked. T3-M4 beeped happily and he petted it, "Good to hear." He looked up and saw Mission and Bastila jogging towards him.

"Are you hurt?" Bastila asked, concern plain on her face.

"I'm fine." He replied and looked over at Mission, "Good job you." Mission beamed with pride at the praise and she held her head a little higher.

"Let's keep going." Bastila said, "Won't be long before more Sith send more."

"The sooner we're out of this place, the better." Mission whispered, "This place gives me the creeps." They made their way carefully through the slain Sith troopers and Jedi. Bastila tried not to gag from the smell of cooked human meat and was grateful when they had put enough rooms between them and the hallway so the smell faded away.

Alex stopped at a unmarked door and motioned for Mission to open it. When the door slid open, Alex stepped inside followed by T3-M4. Bastila however decided to search a second room to save time.

"Found a datapad of some sort." Alex called out to them, "I think…" He trailed off and Bastila reached out with the Force.

_Everything okay?_

_This is it, Bastila. This datapad has the entire Sith operation plans for Manaan and the Selkath youths. _

_Good, keep it._

The blast doors before Bastila swooshed open and she nearly dropped her lightsaber. Mission gasped and her hand shot to her mouth to keep from screaming. The room smelled of blood and discarded meat. Tools of torture lined the walls, and several steal tables were placed around the room. Blue, green and red blood stained the room like some sort of macabre circus. A pair of bodies lay on the floor, discarded and bleeding.

"Oh, Force no." Bastila breathed and ran to the fallen Selkath. She kneeled by the first one and cradled his head in her lap. His body was burned beyond treatment and blood coated his face. He opened a single eye, the other swollen shut.

"Tell….hurrr…tell Shasa…tell her…Sith…" The Selkath held out something and pressed it into the Jedi's palm. A heartbeat passed and the Selkath died in her arms. Bastila closed his eye and looked at the token in her hand. It was a simple thing, a depiction of some aquatic god cut from cuttlefish bone. It was on a leather string to allow it to be worn as a necklace. Bastila stood and turned to her companions. She shook her head sadly and walked past them without saying anything. Alex looked down at the dead Selkath with barely controlled anger. He turned to Mission and she took an involuntary step backwards.

"Can you find me the training rooms?" He asked, his voice low, "It's time to end this."

00000

The blast doors slid open effortlessly. Mission smiled and pocketed the master keycard with a nod. Alex and Bastila held their lightsabers at their sides as they entered the room. A dozen Selkath youth practiced their sword word with training blades. A single black armored Sith Jedi stood watch over them, his massive arms crossed and his eyes blazing red. He turned to the Jedi and held up one hand. Bastila saw it was a expensive robot replacement arm, fashioned to resemble a muscled human arm. Instantly the Selkath stopped and turned towards the Jedi.

"Two Jedi?" The lead Sith's voice was harsh and he laughed, "I'm almost insulted. The Republic don't think much of the Sith, do they? Oh well, if they send children to fight me, I will fill graves with misguided youths."

"We are more than a match for you, bastard." Alex growled at the Sith. The man laughed and drew two twin lightsabers from his belt.

"Hold, Master!" One of the Selkath called out, "Let us deal with these intruders." The Sith turned to the youths and smiled.

"Why not?" He bowed mockingly at the Jedi and stepped aside. The Selkath quickly formed an even line and as one, activated their lightsabers.

"You are Shasa, of clan Otkar?" Alex asked the Selkath who spoke out earlier, "Daughter of Shaelas?" A look approaching surprise crossed the Selkath's face.

"You…you know me?" She asked, glancing around nervously

"Your father sent me." Alex said calmly, "I'm here to rescue you."

"Rescue me?" Shasa laughed, or at least did the Selkath version of laughter, "I choose to be with the Sith freely."

"Why would you do that, my child?" Bastila asked.

"The Sith have offered us power." Shasa replied, "With the Sith's help, Manaan will become a power to be feared."

"The Sith are murders!" Alex countered, "They will kill you the instant you are no longer of use."

"You speak as if we are prisoners, but we are not. Our friend Galsa wanted to leave and the Sith returned him to his parents in Atho City."

"Did Galsa wear a necklace carved from fish bone?" Bastila asked. The Selkath youths glanced at each other.

"He…he did." Shasa said, "It was a gift. I gave it to him."

"Then I'm sorry." Bastila pulled the necklace from her belt, "He wasn't returned to his parents. He was tortured and died in agony." Bastila held out the necklace and Shasa took it with trembling hands. She studied the blood covered icon and let it fall to the ground. Her looked over at the Sith.

"Master?" Her voice was laced with sorrow and betrayal.

"I, um…"

"The Sith will kill you all!" Bastila yelled at the Selkath, "They are liars and will use you to do horrible things."

"Don't listen to these lies, my children!" the Sith master roared, "The Republic wish to enslave your people and take the resources of your beautiful planet. The Sith offer you so much power."

"Power?" Alex asked darkly, "You think you're powerful?"

"The Sith are strength incarnate." The Sith thumped his chest plate, "We are power given form."

"Fine, fight me."

"What?" Bastila glanced at him but he gave her his small wink. She nodded slowly.

"You want a duel?" The Sith chuckled.

"Yes. You and me, no others. The strongest will win." Alex grinned, "Unless you're afraid." The humor fell from the Sith's face and he drew his duel lightsabers and activated them.

"I recant my former order." The Sith said, "Students, stand aside. This Jedi is mine!" Alex stepped forward and activated his yellow blade lightsaber.

A moment passed as the two combatants studied each other. Without warning, the Sith leapt at Alexander and slashed his blades it parallel arcs. Alex ducked under the blades and stabbed his lghtsaber at the Sith's exposed chest. The Sith managed to dodge to the side at the last moment and slashed at Alex's back. The Jedi rolled under the saber swing and brought his lightsaber up to deflect a flurry of blows. Alex hammered his fist into the Sith's face and followed through with a knee to his chest. The Sith staggered back and swung blindly at the Jedi. Alex danced back and brought his lightsaber down on the Sith's bionic arm. The silver hand fell to the ground, the lightsaber still in its grip.

The Sith roared in anger and lashed out with his stunted robot arm. Alex stepped to the side but the Sith followed his attack with a swing from his remaining lightsaber. The blade cut just across his chest. The energized blade tore through his armor and scorched his flesh. Alex hissed in pain.

Bastila grimaced and felt the sympathetic pain through the bond. She wanted to go help him, but she knew that would ruin any chance of saving the Selkath youths.

"Die, Jedi!" the Sith yelled and lunged at him. Alex caught the man's arm in his hand and cut it off at the shoulder. The Sith roared but his screams ended as Alex cut the man's head off. A dreadful silence filled the room as the massive frame of the Sith Master fell to the ground. Alex sighed and looked at the shaken Selkath.

"The Sith are powerful, they strong and ruthless." He said carefully, "But true power doesn't come from a blade, or a blaster." He tossed his lightsaber to the floor, "True power comes from knowing when not to strike, from showing mercy."

"The Sith were never planning on letting you join their ranks." Bastila stepped in, striding forward and handing the youths the datapad Alex had retrieved, "You were going to be used to enslave your entire race." The Selkath, Shasa, took the datapad and skimmed through its contents.

"No…not possible." She stammered and handed the pad to the other Selkath, "How could we have been so blind?"

"It's okay." Alex said calmly, "Your parents are worried about you. Drop your blades and return to them."

"And if some of you still want to master the Force, we can have Jedi recruiters come here." Bastila said and quickly added, "The Jedi have no desire in taking Manaan from the Selkath. They will teach you to control your powers and make the Galaxy a better place."

"That's sounds nice." Shasa said, "Come on, let's get out of here. I miss my father."

000000

As the door to the Republic Embassy ground open, Bastila immediately noticed a change in the air. The constant smell of fish died away and she took a deep breath of clean, filtered air. It was refreshing and she breathed in several more times with a smile on her face. No sooner had the party stepped inside that the door closed behind them, and the ebon skinned man Alexander had spoken with approached.

"Did you manage to get our probes datapad from the Sith Embassy?" He asked desperately. Bastila pulled the compact disk from her belt and handed it to the man.

"Here, this is all there was." Roland inserted the disk into a reader and skimmed the contents.

"Yes, yes, it's all here, and it doesn't appear to be tampered with." He sighed, "I don't think the Sith copied the information."

"Now, about what you owe me?" Alex stepped forward. Roland looked at him and Bastila sensed the man was hesitant.

"I did promise you…" He turned from them, "Come with me."

"Wait here." Alex told Mission. The Twi'lek crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue. Bastila followed her partner and carefully took his hand. Alex smiled at her pleasantly as they followed Roland into his office.

"As you know, we are at war with the Sith Empire, and honestly, we're doing very badly." Roland said once the door to his office closed. He pulled up a list of casualty figures on a wide screen, and Bastila was shocked to see the Republic had lost almost double what the Sith had.

"Manaan is a boarder world, and the sole producer of Kolto." Roland went on to say, "You have to understand, we need as much as we can get. There was no other option."

"What did you do?" Alex eyed the man.

"Look at it from our point of view." He sighed, "The damn Selkath and their neutrality treat the Sith and Republic equally, including in terms of Kolto exports."

"You're stealing kolto, aren't you?" Bastila's eyes narrowed, "You broke the neutrality treaty."

"It's not stealing." Roland argued, "We made a deal with some of the more level-headed Selkath."

"You mean you paid them off." Alex sneered.

"We did what we had to do, for the Republic." Roland pressed a series of keys and a holographic map of a station appeared on the screen, "We recently began construction of an underground facility to harvest kolto at the source. We also hope to be able to create it artificially one day."

"But something happened?"

"Our mining teams were completely projects here." He called up a section of ocean floor almost a kilometer from the station proper, "Grid section Gamma-Eight. They reported uncovering something, an obstruction. The described it as some sort of device, a projector I think. It could possible that map you're looking for."

"The minning team?" Bastila asked, "What happened to them? Where are they?" Roland hesitated before answering.

"We received this transmission approximately twenty nine minutes after uncovering the artifact." Roland pressed a button and static washed from speakers in the screen. After a moment, a woman's voice spoke.

"_Mayday, mayday! Republic Embassy, this is Hrakert Station one, do you read me?_" A second of static wash, "_Oh God, someone please respond! Please, they're coming!_" A sound, like pounding metal could be heard in the background. A screech and then the woman screamed.

"_NOO! Stay away! Aaaaa_" The recording stopped abruptly, but not before Bastila heard the unmistakable sound of flesh tearing.

"We've had no contact since then." Roland said and pulled up a list of names, "We sent several squads of Marines down to investigate, but we lost contact soon after."

"We're going down there, aren't we?" Bastila asked Alexander. He smiled playfully.

"Looks like." He turned back to Roland, "How are we getting to the ocean floor?"

"There's a submarine waiting for you in hanger three." Roland said, "It will take you to the ocean floor."

"Let's get this over with." Bastila sighed. Alex nodded and without another word, the two Jedi left Roland's office. Mission and T3-M4 were waiting just outside.

"What are we doing now?" She asked cheerfully. Alex put a hand on her shoulder.

"Mission, have you ever wanted to see the ocean floor?" He asked with a smile.

"Um, no, not really." She replied awkwardly.

"Well then I have some bad news for you."

000000

The wonders of the ocean captivated Bastila in a way she never imagined. As soon as the Republic submarine dipped under the surface, the whole compartment was bathed in a deep blue light. She stared out a window into the endless ocean with awe. A school of bright orange fish swam by and suddenly, as one changed directions and swam away.

Even more wonders swam in the ocean. Here, a creature of pale red jelly in the shape of a mushroom kicked its way through the clear water. There a black and white striped fish with wide eyes swam directly up the window. Bastila put her hand to the cool glass and for an instant, she felt the creature's simply mind through the Force. A moment later the fish was gone. Sighing, Bastila looked around the cabin. It was small, and it was the color of unpainted metal.

Mission Vao lay curled up on a bench, her hands under her head as she slept. Below her, T3-M4 sat, unmoving. Alexander was at the controls, making sure they didn't run afoul of any hungry leviathans.

The deep, echoing rumble of a large ocean creature sounded in the deep and Bastila saw the enormous shadow of something in the distance. At first she was worried but Alexander took her hand in his. She looked over at her partner, his skin colored deep blue by the water. He smiled at her. Bastila leaned back into his embrace and together, the two Jedi stared out into the endless ocean. Bastila sighed happily and closed her eyes as Alexander's warmth took its toll on her weary body.

00000

_Pyres of the dead stained the sky black, and Bastila gagged at the unmistakable stench of burning flesh. People cried out for mercy but only the hard hiss of laser fire answered them. Bastila looked around, she was in the destroyed ruins of some city. Buildings lay broken and molten and the sky was an unhealthy grey. She noticed over a hundred Republic troopers standing around in loose formations. The troopers wore ragged, battle-scarred armor and each had a haunted look in their eyes. Amongst the standing troopers kneeled hundreds of men, women and children in dirty torn clothing. There were no uniforms or battle-plates amongst them; just everyday civilians clothes ravaged by war and hardships. Children cried and parents offered them sweet words. Men called out, demanding freedom and the more desperate women offered themselves in exchange for mercy. _

_Striding into the camp were figures in black armor, dented and worn from battle. Bastila recognized them immediately. Revan, and Malak. But something was wrong. Their faces were twisted in sneers of disgust and hatred. Revan bore a bloody wound over his right eye, the same wound that would scar up and decorate his face in the years to come. _

"_How many?" Revan asked a Republic lieutenant. The woman turned to face the Jedi, and motioned to the kneeling figures. _

"_Four hundred, maybe more." She replied curtly, "I've sent squads into the ruins to flush more out. They won't escape." _

"_See that they don't" Revan replied darkly and the woman smiled in amusement. _

"_I'd never dream of it." She said and Revan chuckled. _

"_Revan!" A voice echoed over the entire camp. Bastila, Revan and Malak each spun around and saw several armored figures emerging from the smoking ruins of the city. Their leader was a woman Bastila knew of well. Jedi Master Aliza Nexeszh wore her full Master robes and carried a gold plated lightsaber in her hand. She was as beautiful as all the stories said she was. Her hair was long and dark, and her face was slightly thinner and longer than a normal Balosar, but it only added to her looks. She studied the two Jedi with a mixture of anger and horror. At her side, two more Jedi, a human and a Keshiri looked on, aghast. Behind the Jedi, a platoon of fresh Republic Marines stood with hands clutching loaded laser blasters. Bastila could immediately sense the tension in the air. _

"_Master." Revan nodded politely._

"_By the Force, what are you doing here?" Aliza demanded, her normal elegant tone swallowed in her anger. _

"_Punishing the guilty." Revan snapped back, "Restoring order." _

"_This is not order, Revan!" Aliza countered, "This is murder! Order your warriors to stand down. My Republic Marines will take over from here." _

"_Stand down?" Revan yelled, and his boots crunched the broken street as he walked over to her, "Are they not the enemy?" _

"_Not anymore. They are prisoners now, but soon they will be free people and part of the greater Republic." Aliza replied calmly, "Have you forgotten the Jedi's purpose in sending you out here?" _

"_To conquer." Revan said darkly. _

"_No." Aliza said and placed an white gloved hand on his shoulder guard, "We are liberators, not destroyers Revan. We bring the light of civilization, not death. We must rule with benevolence if the Mandelorians are ever to recognize the Republic's authority in the Galaxy."_

"_These people fought against us, murdered millions and destroyed whole worlds. At Hell's Pass the Mandelorians murdered tens of thousands of civilians. The paradise world Balmor is now a lifeless void thanks to the Mandelorians. Mothers will never see their sons again because of these Mandelorians. Now they must pay for those crimes." Revan said and shrugged off her hand, "Obedience to the Republic can only be achieved through fear of punishment, you know that as well as anyone Master. Kill those that resisted and the others will learn that to oppose us is to die." _

_Aliza sighed and took Revan by the hand to pull him away from the heated stares their conversation was attracting. Bastila followed them like a hawk, her mind racing with dread and fear. This was not Alexander. This could not possibly be the same person she knew held her even as she slept._

"_You are wrong, but we should speak of this. In private." Aliza soothed, "This war has hurt you, I can see that now. You have suffered so much to bring us victory, but now it is time for mercy. Return with me to Coruscant. We can mediate, and speak in my chambers, just like old times." _

"_No!" Revan snarled, and pulled away from her, "You think the Mandelorians will bend the knee meekly to us because we show compassion? Mercy is for the weak and foolish. It will only breed corruption and eventual betrayal. Fear of reprisals will keep these people in check, not benevolence." _

"_And the hatred in those you leave alive will pass from one generation to another, until this world is engulfed in a war, the cause of which none of those fighting will remember. It will never end, can't you see that?" Aliza argued and put a hand lovingly on his arm, "Hate only breeds hate and the Republic cannot exist on such bloody foundations."_

"_All empires are forged in blood." Revan snapped back, "To pretend otherwise is naive. The rule of law cannot be maintained by the blind hope that human nature is inherently good. Haven't we seen enough to know ultimately the mass of the Galaxy must be forced into compliance?" _

"_I cannot believe I am hearing this!" Aliza exclaimed, "This is not what I taught you when you were my Padawan. I taught you mercy, compassion and forgiveness. The Jedi code, Revan! Remember the Jedi code! You were the perfect student, loving and attentive. What has gotten into you?" _

"_Nothing that has not always been there, Master." Revan replied and strode away from his former teacher. He approached the crying, kneeling prisoners and hauled a young boy up by the front of his shirt. The boy's mother cried out and reached for her son. A trooper knocked her to the ground with the butt of his rifle. Bastila gasped and looked back at Revan. His eyes were cold and merciless. Where before his blue eyes were like warm oceans, now they were pillars of ice. _

_Revan pulled a rifle out of the blackened hands of a dead trooper and thrust the heavy gun into the boys trembling hands. Revan leaned down and with a grin said, "Go ahead. Kill me." _

_The terrified boy shook his head, the oversized weapon in his hands trembling as if his limbs were gripped in a seizure. The boy's mother whimpered and tried to crawl to her child, but was stopped by the hard boot of a trooper to the back of her skull._

"_No?" Revan asked in amusement, "Why not?" The boy tried to speak, but so awed by the Jedi's terrifying proximity that his words were unintelligible. A new smell filled the air and Bastila noticed the boy had wet his pants. Revan noticed and his smile only grew. _

"_Are you afraid you will be killed?" the boy nodded and tears stared to pour down his face. Revan nodded and brushed a tear from the boy's face. He stood and turned to the encampment, "No one harms this child. No matter what happens, he is not to be punished." Revan walked back to Aliza with his arms stretched out to either side and presenting his back as a target. _

_No sooner had he turned from the boy then the gun had been raised and aimed. Bastila screamed in defiance and the world slowed. She could see the boy's face set in anger, tears pouring from his red-rimmed eyes. Aliza was calling out in alarm, but Revan's features were calm and a smiled played on his lips. The boy's mother was on her knees, trying to get to her son. In the second it took the boy to pull the trigger, Revan rounded on him and a red lightsaber flashed in his hand. The laser beam was deflected and impacted harmlessly against a ruined building. Revan took a single step towards the boy and in one clean swing, took the boy's head from his shoulder. Bastila dropped to her knees, tears spilling down her face. The boy's mother screamed in anguish and the hard hiss of blaster shot silenced her forever. Blood fountained slowly like a ruptured water pipe and the boy's headless body swayed for a moment before dropping slowly to his knees and pitching onto his chest. _

"_You see?" Revan breathed, turning to Aliza with his face illuminated by the hellish glow of his lightsaber. The Balosar stood aghast, her mouth opening and closing in stunned silence. _

"_You…you just murdered a child." She managed, tears of rage stinging her eyes, "You just murdered a child! What in the Force's name were you trying to prove?" _

"_That any chance the Mandeloiran's gets they will choose the path of decent. When he thought he would be killed, he dared not shoot. But the moment he believed himself free from consequences, well, he acted." Revan smiled and deactivated his lightsaber. Bastila glared at him with burning hatred, and were this real life and not a memory, she was sure her look would have killed him. _

"_That was an act of evil, Revan." Aliza whispered and Revan turned away from her before she could continue, but Aliza followed him and took his arm. "Your warriors will lay down arms and withdraw, Revan. That is an order, not a request." She activated her golden lightsaber and glared hard at him._

"_And you, Revan Sedire, are under arrest." Bastila could see the sorrow in the Balosar's eyes as she spoke, "You will be taken from here and made to account for your barbarous methods of war. The Jedi will not have you tarnish our name with you mindless revenge. Your way is not the way of the Republic." _

_Revan closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. He stood motionless for several long moments before opening his eyes. He whispered._

"_I think you may be right."_

_His lightsaber leapt to life and he spun to strike at his former master. Aliza blocked the attack and instantly the camp was filled with shouts and gunfire. Malak advanced on the two Jedi in Aliza's guard, and the Republic troopers gunned down the troopers the Jedi Master had brought with her. _

_Aliza and Revan struggled against each other, but it was obvious Revan had more upper body strength. He slammed his knee into Aliza's side and she stumbled to the ground, her lightsaber falling from her grip. Revan advanced on her, his lightsaber held out; ready to deliver the killing blow. _

"_What happened to you?" Aliza whispered. Revan stopped and looked down at her. _

"_I saw past the lies of the Jedi." He said darkly. Aliza shook her head and tears stained the ground beneath her. _

"_Please, don't do this. Don't go down this road." She begged, "You were always my best student. You had so much compassion and mercy. You…you were the only padawan I truly connected with. The things we shared in the silent watches of the night. The secrets, hopes and dreams. Things I have never told another soul. Don't turn from all that. Don't turn from us…from me." A look of regret entered Revan's eyes and they glistened. For an instant, Bastila saw the man she knew returning. _

"_I'm sorry." He whispered, "I really did love you." Revan raised his lightsaber high above his head and Bastila screamed for him to stop. Aliza closed her eyes and smiled as Revan drove his lightsaber into her chest, through her robes and out her back. _

"…_forgive…your...Self…" Aliza wheezed as blood leaked from her lips. Her head fell to one side and she died. Revan pulled his lightsaber from her body and turned to Malak. His companion had both of Aliza's Jedi guards on their knees, hands behind their heads. _

_Bastila kneeled by Aliza's body and cried. The hatred, and anger in his eyes; how could she ever care about this man? Memory or not, he was a war-criminal and a monster. Her eyes hardened and she glared death at the phantoms around her._

"_So, are you as blind as Master Nexeszh was?" Revan asked as he walked over, "Or will you prove useful?" _

"_Malak, please!" The Keshiri Jedi suddenly exclaimed. Malak shook his head. _

"_Answer the question Ma'lira." Malak said darkly, "Are you with us or the Jedi?" _

"_I will never betray the Jedi!" The human Jedi spat defiantly. Revan nodded to Malak and he sliced the Jedi's head from his shoulders. As her companion dropped dead, Ma'lira gulped back tears. _

"_Please, Malak. I love you." She said, "Don't do this." _

"_If you really love me, you'll take my hand." He said, offering her his black armored gauntlet, "Imagine in 'Lira. No more hiding, no more Jedi. We can have that home you always wanted. We can live together, just the two of us." _

"…_the two of us?" She repeated and her eyes flickered with doubt, "You…and me?" _

"_The Jedi stole you from your parents, and trained you to fight and kill." Malak said, "They forced you to live a life of loneliness and anguish and for what? What have the Jedi offered you? Death on the battlefield? I'm offering you life. Take it." The Keshiri nodded her head dumbly and took Malak's offered hand. He smiled happily and pulled her into an embrace._

_Revan turned to the hard-face female lieutenant and looked at the still kneeling Mandelorians, "Get rid of these…monsters." _

"_Make ready!" she called out. Around the camp, hundreds of ex-Republic troopers raised blasters and aimed them at crying families and civilians. _

"_FIRE!" _

Bastila opened her eyes.


	12. Manaan Prt IV

Once, many years ago, Bastila had been afraid. It had been the fourth day of her parents' hunt on the planet Tyran Prime, and her father was off tracking a local alpha-hunter. Young Bastila had been with her mother at their camp when a Tyran web-stalker had stolen into their camp. The web-stalker was a monstrous, tank sized arachnid with lifeless eyes and venomous fangs. The stalker had smashed through the hab-unit and knocked her mother out with a swift blow. Bastila had always been its target, being younger and weaker. That day, a fear the likes of which she had never imagined had gripped her. The cold, ruthless efficiency of the arachnid, and its cold black eyes had left a singular impression on the young girl. But, it had been that day she had first realized her Force powers. Her fear had given her strength and she had blasted the web-stalker to oblivion.

Today that fear returned as she lay cradled in the arms of a murderer.

_Fear_

_Desperation._

_Nausea._

_Panic._

_Anger._

_Hatred._

_Denial_

It grips her so tightly she screams. The sound reverberates through the interior of the submarine, and it is horrible. She struggles against warm arms, the feeling sickening. She lashes out with her fists and strikes hard flesh and a man gasps in pain. She pushes him away, and he falls hard to the cold floor. Her heart pounds so hard she is light-headed.

"What the hell?" Mission screamed in panic. The Twi'lek was on her feet, pistol drawn and paining the area for threats.

Alexander groaned, one hand rubbing his jaw and the other on the back of his head, nursing a gash from his fall. Bastila stared down at him with barely controlled anger, and without knowing it, she drew her lightsaber.

The man on the ground stared up at her, shock and horror on his face. Bastila stared down at him, her head burning in pain and her stomach turning over with disgust. Images flashed in her mind, and Alexander was replaced with the slain Master Aliza Nexeszh. Crystal tears stung her eyes, and another image flashed. This time she remembered feeling overwhelming joy at finding Alex on the jungle floor of Kashyyyk. Two realities collided in her mind; one man, Revan Sedire, she hated with all her soul. She wanted to kill him, to strike him down. But she also saw Alexander Stargaze, her partner, her friend. She wanted to feel his arms around her, and feel his lips against her skin.

"No!" She screams to no one. He is a murderer, a nightmare given form. For the Galaxy, he needed to die. She remembered so many stolen moments, times she should have kissed him but fear and the Jedi stopped her. In an instant, her hatred was replaced with passion.

"Stop it!" Bastila shrieked and clutched her head. Her lightsaber fell to the cold steel ground, echoing like a hammer striking an anvil.

"Bastila, what's wrong? What happened?" Alex called out. He rushed to her side, the pain in his jaw forgotten. Something was wrong; horribly, horribly wrong. He could feel her emotions in his head. She was panicked, desperate. It was white noise, like rusted nails on glass. Bastila fell to the floor and curled in on herself. He approached her slowly, his arms up to show he meant no harm.

"What happened?" Mission hissed. Alex held up a hand for silence and followed it with a glare to show he meant it. Alex kneeled by Bastila and gently put a hand to her. She flinched, as if shocked.

"Bas, talk to me." He whispered, "What happened? A vision?"

"Don't touch me!" She snarled at him, "I…just don't touch."

"Okay, okay" Alex said quickly, "I'm backing off." He took several exaggerated steps back.

"No!" Bastila suddenly exclaimed, "I need…stay close, please." Alex and Mission shared a look. Alex approached again, and knelt by the crazed Jedi. Bastila looked up at him, flinching at the soft blue of his eyes. Despite that, she shifted closer to him, relishing the warmth that radiated from him.

"You're not making any sense." He said. She glared at him. She saw Revan staring at her with cold eyes of ice. No! She forced the image from her head. She wanted to see Alexander, the man she had grown to trust.

"I know…my mind, it hurts so much." She pressed her palm to her forehead, "By the Force, my brain is on fire."

"Maybe we should take her back to the Hawk." Mission put in. Alex nodded.

"Good idea." Alex made for the controls.

"No, I can manage." Bastila said and sniffed to clear the tears, "I am a Jedi, and I will rise above this."

"I'm turning this boat around." Alex argued, "You are in no condition to-"

"I said no, and I mean it!" Bastila yelled, "I am not going to abandon my Jedi responsibilities; they're all I have left."

A terrible silence descended on the group. Mission cautiously sat back down, the ion-blaster still tight in her grasp. Alexander studied Bastila with a hard gaze, but the female Jedi ignored him. She stared out into nothing, her eyes glazed over and her mind racing. All she could hear was the echoing screams of dying Mandelorians and Republic troopers. She could still smell the gut-wrenching stink of burning flesh. Every time she closed her eyes she saw men and women screaming and dying.

Alex let out a long sigh and turned back to the control console. They were minutes away from the Republic Station, and still there had been no contact over the radio. Bastila glanced over at him. Her blood rushed in her ears and all she could think about was striking him down. He had murdered countless innocents! How could she have ever thought he could change?

With a massive effort, Bastila tore her gaze from the back of his head. She had to think clearly right now. Alexander had done nothing to earn her ire. In fact, he was the closest friend she had ever had. The Jedi groaned inwardly; when had life become so complicated? With a deep inhale, Bastila began her meditations

Time passed but her heart refused to calm. Even in the trance-like state of full meditation, the dreams and visions came back to haunt her. She watched Revan cut the head from a scared little boy, and saw the blood flowing from his neck. The image played over and over in her mind. Again and again she watched in horror as Revan ordered the deaths of hundreds of unarmed civilians.

The submarine suddenly shook and Bastila was dragged from her meditations by the screech of metal on metal. She glanced out the window and saw large claw-like metal clamps closing around the body of their submersible. Bastila stood on tired legs and made a b-line for the hatch.

"Pressure stabilized, atmo is reading green." Alex called out from the control-console, "Everything seems nominal." Bastila pushed the door pad and the hatch slid open. A gust of stale air rushed in the submarine, but to Bastila it was as refreshing as the purest spring breeze. A hand gripped her shoulder and she glared over at her partner.

"Talk to me." He whispered. She took his hand and placed in gently on her cheek. She sighed deeply, relishing the warmth there. Bastila closed her eyes and images flashed in her mind.

_The death of a world, and a great eye, red and gold watching it burn_

_A galaxy at war_

_Jedi fighting Jedi beneath a red lit sky _

Bastila pulled away, her mind throbbing in pain. She wrapped her arms around her shivering body and without a word, strode into the empty station beyond.

What little light still clung to the walls came from dull, faulty illumination globes hung from the ceiling. Something was obviously wrong with the generators deeper in the station for the 'lum globes flickered on and off in random patterns, leaving deep pools of shadows in every corner. Bastila was instantly cautious of the darkness, knowing full well what creatures could be waiting in ambush. Her boots echoed as she stepped off the Republic submarine and onto a creaking grated floor. Behind her, Mission Vao emerged from their transport and Bastila could sense her fear. The Twi'lek held her ion blaster in both of her trembling hands, and Bastila doubted Mission could hit a starship, she was shaking so badly. Alexander noticed too and approached her.

"Hey, it's okay." He said and put a hand to Mission's shoulder, "You're with two Jedi." Mission studied the man for a moment and relaxed visibly. Bastila was inwardly impressed, but when her eyes met her partners, she scowled at him.

"We should split up." She said suddenly, "We can cover more ground that way."

"In an over-run, half powered station at the bottom of the ocean?" Alex chuckled. He stopped when Bastila's burning gaze fell on him.

"The sooner we find our starmap, the sooner we can be off the forsaken world." Bastila pushed past him, "M4, you're with me." Alex gripped her forearm.

"Bas, wait. I-"

"Let go of me!" She yelled and wrenched her arm from his grip, "Stop touching me!" She advanced on him; eyes ablaze, "Get it through your thick skull; there is nothing, and never will be anything between us. We are Jedi, and for the duration of this mission, you're my partner. But mark my words, when this is over, I'm finding the most remote outpost in the Galaxy and I will never see you again. Is there an understanding here?"

Alex held her gaze for a horribly long moment and his jaw-line tightened, "We are clear, Jedi Shan."

"Move out, Stargaze." She said darkly. Alex didn't look back and motioned for Mission to follow. The Twi'lek cast an uneasy glance at Bastila, but she was soon lost to a shadowed doorway.

Bastila was left alone in the docking bay, the emotionless protocol droid and her regrets the only company she had. Already she missed Alexander, but she could feel a rift forming between them. A gap of information, a lack of truth that could see them both dead before Malak could be stopped. Suddenly her stomach churned over and Bastila fell to her knees, coughing and gagging on her last meal as it fought its way up her throat. How had it come to this? When had the Galaxy fallen to insanity? Tears finally formed in her eyes.

She cried not for the loss of life, although it was great. She cried not for her own heartbreak, although it was terrible. She cried for all Jedi, for the shame Revan had brought upon them. They had been the Galaxy's trusted protectors, and they had betrayed their oaths. It mattered not that Bastila and her fellows had remained loyal; she was a Jedi, and the shame of one was the shame of all.

"Will they ever trust us again?" She whispered to the cold world. Should they trust us was the next question. A question Bastila did not want to ask, and certainly could not answer.

_The Force made the Jedi strong, and the Republic had followed us_ Bastila though heavily, _In us they had poured the hopes and dreams of the Galaxy and we raised ourselves up above them. We were given armies to command and the resources of the Galaxy to draw upon. What have we done with that? When given command, what do we do with the power given to us? Set ourselves up at warrior-lords with planets as vassals and star-systems as our fiefdoms. Not all of us followed Revan, but none of us are beyond blame. _

Perhaps it was better not to trust the Jedi. Perhaps the Galaxy would be better protected by men and women who lived and died normally. People with families and a normal life, with something to lose. Something to protect. People whose ambitions were not so grand. Depression weighed Bastila down but she forced herself to her feet. She took the exit opposite of the one Mission and Alexander had taken.

The blast-door slide halfway opened and sparked as its motor finally died. Bastila pushed through the gap and into the hallway beyond. Water dripped in a slow, steady trickle from countless cracks in the steel walls. The station groaned and resettled as more pressure cracks formed somewhere. Bastila took careful steps, testing the floor under her. It held and she stepped into the shadowed hall. T3-M4 followed her, weapons held at the ready. Already she regretted splitting with the others, but she needed to be alone, to think. What she had seen, the memories and visions; they had tested her. She knew Alex would confront her as soon as they were back on the Ebon Hawk. What could she tell him? Anything but the truth and he would know she was lying.

But what was the truth? Revan had been a traitor, and a war-criminal. He had resurrected the Sith and put the Galaxy to the flame. Bastila had memorized the near endless list of atrocities and destroyed worlds left in his wake. That day, when she had assaulted his flagship, Bastila had been fully prepared to slay the Sith-Lord. The Jedi had ordered his assassination and she had been the instrument of their will. So why did her heart scream in denial and anger? What had changed?

Bastila could only come to one answer, one conclusion; her feelings. She had grown close to Alexander. She didn't dare deny it anymore. Somehow, despite her Jedi training, she had become attached to him. Perhaps it was deeper than mere attraction. Bastila had no experience in this field, and honestly couldn't tell. But something always held her back. Had she forgotten Alex had once been Revan?

No. Indeed that was the problem. Bastila couldn't look past the truth. Part of her still saw the Sith-Lord in Alex's sapphire eyes. She saw the fires of his war and heard the screams of his victims. It was like a stain that only she saw, one only she knew to look for. Tears gathered in her eyes again and she laughed bitterly. When had she become a leaking pipe? She didn't want to see the truth anymore. She wanted to be ignorant, to see Alex and only Alex in his eyes. Would that the Jedi had erased her memories as well.

Bastila's mind was so lost she nearly tripped over a lump on the floor. Even in the dull light it as obvious what it was. A human body, her blue plate armor torn and blood stained. The woman's hair was shaved and a jagged scar ran down her face. Bastila knelt by the body and cautiously touched her shoulder. Suddenly her eyes opened and the woman stared at the Jedi with twin violet eyes. The woman lunged forward and gripped Bastila's face with blood slick hands.

"They're coming!" She gasped, "Get out of here."

"It's okay. I'm a Jedi." Bastila eased the hands from her face, "Who's coming?"

"The indig!" The woman said, "Labor-workers and miners. The blasted Selkath! They went crazy, feral…came at us with fangs and claws. They called us Natash-something…they…they're…monsters…" The woman gasped for breath as blood flowed freely from her mouth. A moment later the light in her amethyst eyes died. Bastila gently put the woman back on the ground and gingerly closed her eyes.

It was then a sound finally registered in Bastila's mind. At first she had thought it the endless drip of water from the ceiling, but now it was something more. It was a rapid click-click-click, growing closer each second. A screech echoed in the hall and Bastila's lightsaber leapt to life. Out of the shadows came a handful of disheveled creatures.

They wore ragged clothing and carried all manner of mining equipment as weapons. Cold, lidless black eyes stared at her. They were crazed, driven by the need to kill and feed. The head Selkath, a bluish-green creature, charged her, a rusted spanner held above his head.

Bastila blocked the attack effortlessly and grinned as her lightsaber cut the ad-hoc weapon in half. Bastila spun under the aquatic creature's guard and cut along his hip. She came about to face the others as the Selkath behind her collapsed, his torso cut from his legs.

The Selkaths charged forward, screams of rage piercing the silence. T3-M4 rolled forward, twin heavy blasters spraying the hallway with laserfire. Two of their crazed attackers fell, bodies riddled with fire. Bastila met the remaining creatures head-on.

She ducked and parried and slashed with wild abandon. Her anger boiled over and she tore through the Selkaths like a tornado. Bastila felt no remorse in killing, but no joy either. She was cold, and she simply killed and killed and killed. Behind her, T3-M4 fired carefully aimed shots, each and every round being a kill shot. In seconds the Selkaths were dead, and a terrible silence descended upon the hallway. There was only Bastila's breath and the steady drip-drip-drip of water.

Without thought or ceremony, Bastila stalked on.

000000

"Psst, hey Alex?" Mission's delicate voice broke the brooding silence of the Jedi. He glanced at her as she hacked into a door-control, "What in frecking hell happened to Bastila?"

"I don't have an answer for you, Mission." Alex's voice was distant, a reflection of his inner turmoil, "She's cut off our mental-link. I can't feel her emotions."

"Guess. Anything is better than nothing." This gave Alex a moment of pause.

He had always known something was wrong with Bastila. It had been like an ever present itch at the back of his mind, but the more he turned towards it, the more clouded it back. It seemed to be forever out of his reach. His conversations with Carth on Taris on the oddity of his sudden reassignment to the **Endar Spire** had planted the seed of his suspicion. On Dantooine, when the Jedi had confronted him about his Force sensitivity, Alex had assumed that had been the secret Bastila had been hiding. Maybe she had seen him on some parade ground, or read his service record and he had been ear-marked by the Jedi. But since then, the unease had never diminished. He wasn't being told the entire truth, that much was obvious. Yet, his still trusted Bastila, still knew she would never with-hold anything dangerous from him. It had to be something important enough for Bastila to be sworn to silence, but not so life-changing as for her to betray their friendship.

"If I had to guess, I would say this has something to do with the Star-Forge." Alex said, as much to himself as it was to Mission. She glanced up and closed the door-control casing. The blast doors slid open a moment later, but the Twi'lek ignored it.

"Really?" She asked, "Think she's hiding something from us?"

"Honestly, yes." He said with a sigh, "But I trust her enough to know she has her reasons. And I trust her enough to tell us if she thought it would be helpful."

"But how ca-"

"Mission, this is Bastila we're talking about!" He put a hand on her shoulder and chuckled, "You know, the stuck-up bitch with a stick in her ass? It's going to turn out this big secret was just idle speculation about the Star-forge, based on some dusty old scroll from a prophet, ten thousand years dead. She's a detail freak like that. I trust her implicitly, and you should too." A moment based and Mission grinned.

"Do you love her?"

"Right, moving on." Alex said cheerfully and walked away. Mission gave an exaggerated sigh and jogged to catch up.

"No, seriously, do you love her?" She asked. Alex glanced at her.

"I can't hear you." He said.

"No, come on, tell me. I can keep a secret." Alex gave her a look that said she could do no such thing. The Twi'lek shrugged.

They walked on for a full hour, Mission's young voice constantly asking questions. Every ten minutes, Bastila would check-in on their communicators, never through the Force-bond. Apparently she had been assaulted by blood-crazed Selkaths, but she had dispatched them in short order. Aside from that, his partner had kept him completely in the dark.

Alex had tried to reach out through their Force-bond, and he knew Bastila felt it. He had practically besieged her mind, seeking entry. Maybe he was over-reacting and this whole event would blow over, and they would be back to flirting and cuddling before day's end. But still it ate at his very soul not to be the one she turned to for comfort. That was his job, so to speak. Bastila was bottling up her emotions and he could see the harm it was causing.

"Hey, check this out." Misson called out. Alex looked up from the pile of rubble he had been shifting through. He had found a discarded fragmentation grenade, but it was dented and he doubted it would work. Alex walked over to where Mission was standing. He followed her out-stretched hand to a door on the other side of the room. It was just a standard, made-to-fit grey door, but the word **OFFICE** stood out in bold text.

"If we're looking for a way to get on the ocean floor, I'm sure there would be an inventory list or something." The Twi'lek looked over at the Jedi for acknowledgment. Alex smiled.

"You're one bright kid, Mission." He said and petted her shoulder, "Come on." The Twi'lek beamed with pride and followed the Jedi over to the door.

"Can you open it?" Alex asked.

"We're running low on computer spikes, but I should have enough." Mission responded and in moments the locked door slid open smoothly, "Boo-yah." Mission mumbled under her breath.

The two entered the office cautiously, but saw it was empty. Alex motioned to a console in the far corner and Mission jogged over to it. Alex inspected a desk nearby, noticing the incomplete reports and half eaten meals.

"Hey, I found some log entries." Mission called out and cued up one of the entries. A voice echoed throughout the room, distorted and faulty.

"_Research log one-one-four, Dr. Monica Kelgur, chief operations leader of Hrakert Rift Kolto Station_." The woman's voice sighed, "_Today was another setback. Seems like we spend more time fixing problems then we do working smoothly. One of our mining teams, mostly Selkath union workers, found an artifact on the ocean floor. It was ordered to be tagged and cleared, but a giant firaxa shark emerged from the deep to kill the mining team. I've asked Dr. Monroe, our Xeno-Biologist, to take a team out to see what the artifact is. I await their report_." The audio-log went silent for a moment, "_Oh and a reminder to the kitchen staff; stop serving fish. We're really getting sick of it._"

Alex glanced at Mission, "An artifact?" She asked, "The Starmap?"

"Maybe. I can't image what else it could be." He shrugged, "Any more logs?"

"Uh…yeah…hold on a second…" The Twi'lek pulled another wire from the computer and was rewarded with a shower of sparks. A moment later the voice returned.

"_Research log one-one-seven, Dr. Monica Kelgur, chief- freck it. The Selkaths are growing worse. Today there was another incident in the docks. I've asked Republic Command to send more troops down. That damn firaxa shark! It's just a big damn fish, nothing more. But no, those damn indigs think it's a guardian to the afterlife itself. I've been reading Dr. Monroe's notes since he was killed last week. So long as the firaxa shark is around, the Selkaths will see us as heretics. Damn natives_." The woman sighed, "_I can't wait to get off this world_."

"That's the last one." Mission said, "The rest are too corrupted to work."

"Let's keep moving then." The two left the office, their moods dark. News of the starmap being guarded by a giant ocean monster put them both on edge.

It was Mission who first noticed the hard clank-clank coming from down the hallway. She called out a warning to the Jedi just in time. A flurry of red lasers ripped down the hall and Mission dove to the side. The ion-blaster slipped from her grip and tumbled into the darkness in the far corner. Mission cursed under her breath.

"Here, catch." Alex called out and tossed his heavy blaster to Mission. The Twi'lek caught the gun and looked at it reverently. She had seen Alex use it countless times, including back on Taris when his accuracy had saved her from Sith troopers. With the heavy pistol in her hand, she felt strangely comforted. She nodded thanks at Alex and cast a glance at the droids down the hall.

"Threats detected." One of the robotic humanoids called out. The two recon droids raised their blasters in unison and fired. Mission and Alex ducked back behind cover.

"Okay, stay behind me." Alex said. Mission held up a hand.

"Wait listen." She said. Alex tilted his head to the side to listen for what Mission heard. It was a rapid scraping sound, like claws on steel. Alex glanced down the hallway and noticed the recon droids had turned to the sound, guns aimed into the dark hallway beyond.

They came down the hallway in a wave of flesh and gnashing teeth. The lead Selkaths tore into the recon droids, claws splintering against hardened endo-fiber steel. But for all their ill-discipline and poor equipment, they Selkath were many. They bore the droids to the ground and smashed them apart with lengths of pipes and industrial drills.

Mission fired wildly at them, the muzzle of Alex's heavy blaster burning red hot. Her eyes were wide and she was only barely managing to stifle back screams of panic. Still, on they came like a stampede of crazed oxen. Alex lifted piles of rubble and discarded equipment from the floor and hurled them at the Selkaths. A handful fell, skulls caved in and brains turned to mush by the force of the impact.

The yellow light of Alex's lightsaber filled the dim hallway and he charged headlong at the crazed Selkaths. If they thought him to be the incarnation of their Death God, then by the Force, death incarnate is what he'd become!

Alex tore into the Selkath, slicing limbs from bodies and heads from shoulders. The living paid no heed to the dead, trampling their fellows underfoot to get at the Jedi. Alex sliced and stabbed and cut his way through them. Not one Selkath made it past him to attack young Mission, and the Twi'lek looked on with something approaching awe. In a heartbeat, the world was still and the last of the Selkath were dead. Alex stood gasping for breath amidst piles of limbs and leaking bodies.

"I wonder if Bastila is having any more luck than we are." Mission sighed.

"I'm sure she's fine."

000000

Bastila charged down the hallway, laserfire whisking past her. At the end of the hall, a great melee had broken out between a pack of blood-crazed Selkaths and an armored patrol of droids. Crab-like assault droids traded blows with frenzied Selkaths while the slimmer recon droids fired away with blasters. Two of the droids had noticed the Jedi as she opened a blast-door at the end of the hall and opened fire. Bastila was grateful for the combat; a chance to test her skills, and work off her seemingly endless frustrations.

Bastila gripped one of the recon droids with her Force power, paralyzing it. The other stepped forward to meet the Jedi and was cut down with one powerful swing of her lightsaber. A Selkath charged her, teeth bared in a savage grin. The Jedi sliced the creature's outstretched hands from his arms, and thrust the tip of her lightsaber through his chest. The next Selkath Bastila brought down with a swift kick to its hip, shattering the bone.

In a heartbeat she closed the distance between her and a wide-eyed Selkath miner. She cut the aquatic creature's leg out from under him, and blocked a swift strike from an assault droid. A burst of Force energy sent the machine sprawling into the far wall, and Bastila twirled her lightsaber in a wide arc. The energized blade cut through soft flesh and metal skin with ease, sending half a dozen assailants to the floor.

The rest of the battle passed in a blur. Brief snapshots of combat flashed in her mind. Here a Assault droid is ripped apart by berserk Selkaths, and there the same creature is blasted apart by laserfire. Bastila hurled her lightsaber is a spiraling arch, severing the head from four Selkaths. As the last of the aquatic creature fell, Bastila lashed out with her Force powers and slammed the last recon droid into the far wall.

An eerie silence descended and Bastila took a moment to calm her heart. Her battle haze was up and it took several deep breaths to return to a state of equilibrium. She took in the chamber she was in with a glance and found her objective. This room had been the barracks of the station staff and if she was to find an environment suit anywhere, it would be here. She approached a series of industrial lockers and opened one.

She gave a sigh of relief, seeing three intact environment suits hanging there. First guess and she had been lucky. Perhaps the day was starting to turn in her favor.

"**Target acquired**" The hollow, robotic words echoed in the room. Bastila spun, fear gripping her. The last recon droid lay sprawled against the wall, but held its blaster one handed. The Jedi acted quickly and dove out of the way. The red beam passed through where she had just been and slammed into a gas canister on the far wall. The flammable liquid ignited and burned.

The explosion rocked the chamber with its deafening force. Bastila was dazed and crashed into the far wall. Her head rung loundly and felt a metal shard slice across her leg. She grunted in pain as the smoke settled. Slowly, Bastila rose on shaking legs. Blood trickled from her leg. With a shock Bastila saw the suit-locker had been knocked over in the explosion. She limped over to the damaged locker. All but one of the suits had been torn asunder.

"Oh, blasts and damnation." Bastila groaned. Her communicator beeped to life.

+_Bastila are you there? What happened?_+ She sighed and pulled the device from her belt.

"Nothing. I'm fine but…I only found one suit."

+_Then I guess you'll be staying inside while I do all the work…again._+

"Don't joke about this, Alexander." She cautioned, "You can't do this alone."

+_Sorry Bas, you're transmission is breaking up. I'll meet you back at the sub_.+

"Alexander, wait."

+_Sorry. I'll see you soon_.+

"Alexander Stargaze, I swear by the Force if you hang up on me I'll-" **Click**. The channel went dead and Bastila sighed angrily. Damn him and his selfless behavior. Still, once Alex saw the wound on her leg, she knew all hopes of being the one who traveled to the starmap would die. Bastila took the medipack from her belt and spent a few minutes cleaning the wound on her leg. It was a clean cut, deep but not terrible. Nothing compared to the raw scars across her stomach from Kashyyyk. The wounds she had suffered on the jungle world still bothered her, but she managed to put the discomfort from her mind.

Bastila stood carefully, gingerly testing the wrap on her leg. It held well enough and she limped over to the storage locker. The suit was heavy, heavier than she expected but she managed. With the yellow-grey suit slung over her back, and T3-M4 rolling protectively at her feet, Bastila trudged down the hall, back towards the Republic sub.

0000000

"Well, looks like I'm going out alone." Alex chuckled as he began to take apart the environment suit. Bastila watched in silence, shame keeping her mouth shut. She had been so careless to let the other suits be damaged.

"I can tell you I would never have gone out there even if Bas found more suits." Mission said from her spot behind the control console. Alexander shrugged at this and finished sliding into the torso section. He soon finished locking the gauntlets into place and only the helm remained.

Without ceremony, Alexander took heavy steps towards the airlock and the pressure chamber beyond.

"Alexander, I…" Bastila's voice trailed off as the Jedi turned to face her, "Don't die."

"I'll be back soon." He said and put a hand on her shoulder. Bastila visibly flinched but held her ground. She offered him an apologetic smile and kissed his gloved hand. This brought a delighted smile to his face as he walked away and closed the chamber door behind him. Mission typed on the command console, her eyes darting across the scrolling list of information. She smiled and entered in a command prompt.

"Flooding the chamber now." Mission informed the two Jedi. Alex's voice crackled over the comm-net.

+So that's why there's all this water.+ He chuckled.

"Har har har." Mission responded, "You Jedi are a riot." Alex didn't respond but smiled pleasantly. The water was rapidly filling the chamber, and soon rose past his head. Darkness surrounded him, together with a sense of lightness that Alexander had not felt for a long time. The boots of his armored suit began to float off the floor, but with a flick of a switch at his side, the boots became magnetized.

The door at the end of the chamber ground open on slow hydraulics and Alexander stepped into the darkness beyond. He glanced up and even though his chronometer told him it was mid-day, it might as well have been darkest night. At these incredible depths, no traces of light reached the ocean floor. Alex turned a dial on his wrist and twin beams of light burst from lamps on his helmet. The sudden light startled a series of worm-like predators that had been closing on him. The blood-eels swam in every direction, the bright light burning their translucent skin.

The Jedi took a deep breath and closed the hatch behind him. There was no turning back now; he was truly alone.

00000

"I'm going for a walk." Bastila suddenly said, "M4 stay here."

"A walk?" Mission repeated, "Here? Now?"

"I am a Jedi." She said simply, "I can look after myself." With that Bastila strode away. She needed to be alone and to think. Her anger had diminished since the submarine, but it still simmered just below the surface. She could feel it in the rush of adrenaline every time she saw Alexander.

Bastila rounded the corner, her mind lost. Suddenly she felt eyes on her and glanced up. A fear more powerful than anything she had ever felt gripped her. There, standing before her, his tunic and pants blood smeared and torn was the Mandelorian child from her memory. The phantom held his head in his arms, and his neck leaked a slow, discolored blood. Bastila brought her hand to her mouth to keep from dry-heaving.

"_Kill him…_" the boy rasped through his ruined throat. Bastila took a step back.

"What?"

"_Kill him…_"

"No." She nearly gasped, "I won't kill him. I can't."

"_Kill him…_" the boy repeated and he took a shaky step towards her. The ghost flickered and suddenly he was less than a meter from the Jedi. Bastila activated her lightsaber and held it ready to defend herself.

"Stay back!" She almost shrieked, "You're not real! You're just a memory!"

"_Kill him…kill Revan…_" Bastila fell to her knees before the ghost. She looked at his dead, white eyes. Images flashed in her mind. She saw herself standing on Revan's flagship, lightsaber in hand. Then she was on Taris, chained in a cage as Alexander races for her freedom. She saw Revan strike down innocents with wide swings of his lightsaber. Alexander looks down at her, a smile on his face. She hears birds and rushing water and she smells the jungle. Bastila felt a stirring in her heart. Surely a man who cared for her as much as Alexander obviously did was no monster. A last image flashed in her mind. A man in black robes, wearing a Mandelorian's battle helm. He is bleeding on the steel floor as war rages all around him. Bastila knelt by the man and gingerly removed his face plate.

"I already did." She whispered, "I killed Revan a year ago."

"_He still breathes…_"

"No." She said defiantly, "Alexander, my friend and partner still breathes. I killed Revan on his flagship, I watched him die."

"_No…he still remains…_" Bastila held the ghost's eyes for a hard moment. Something burned in the phantom's eyes; something dark and evil.

"You're wrong." She said, "I've seen his eyes, his soul. He is Alexander, my friend. He is not Revan." The ghost shimmered and faded slowly. A sudden gust of air flew down the hall and brushed over Bastila. She shivered and let her realization flood her mind.

"He's not Revan." She repeated. Her words echoed down the cold dark halls, "He's not Revan." Tears of joy stung her eyes and she smiled.

"He's not Revan."

…_.He's not Revan_

00000

Alexander soon found walking in the cumbersome suit to be a challenge. His steps were heavy and required much more effort than he had expected. The light of his lamps dispelled the darkness and kept the smaller and more desperate predators at bay. Every few meters he would turn around to scare off those creatures that sought to surprise him from behind. A couple of random test shots from the sonic emitter ensured the dwellers of the deep would not return. A flicker of movement drew his attention to a series of rocks to the side. Something shimmered in the muddy light.

The creature struck with the speed of lightning. It bit into the armored vambrace of his suit. Tiny, serrated teeth found no purchase on the yellow-grey steel and Alexander aimed his sonic emitter at the creature. He pressed the trigger and the creature, a baby Vore-shark he suspected, shook violently and exploded in a burst of red liquid. No sooner had he turned from the remains then it was set upon by dozens of small scavengers. Alex walked on, leaving the fish to their meal.

He walked for what felt like kilometers, but at the pace he was bound to, it was impossible to tell. As he rounded yet another smooth-worn boulder he saw an island of light in the darkness. As he approached, blurry cobweb lights grew hard, solid and clear. It was a command console of some sort.

+Alex, hold up.+ Misson broke the silence, obviously seeing the object through the camera feed, "I think that's an over-ride console."

"Meaning what?" He asked. He could hear Mission and Bastila speaking in quick whispers.

+Alexander+ Bastila's hard yet beautiful voice called out, +If these schematics are correct, you could use that console to overload at kolto harvester.+

"That would set this station back months, and condemn hundreds to death." Alex countered.

+This entre station is part of an illegal pirating operation.+ Bastila argued, +If the Manaan government ever discover this place, all exportation contracts would be canceled. Kolot is harvested only on Manaan, and we need to keep the Selkaths happy. In sabotaging this station, we could save all the contracts the Republic still hold.+

+Besides+" Mission put in, +If we stop the harvester, that giant firaxa shark would leave.+

"Ok ok, I'll do it." Alex mumbled, "But Bas, if the Republic bill us for damages, I'm telling them it was your fault." This earned a slight chuckle from the cold Jedi and Alexander smiled.

+The process is simple.+ Mission said after a moment, +Simply turn the cooling rods off and the harvester will overheat.+

The Jedi turned a series of dials, each labeled as a single cooling rod. One by one, the green lights on the console faded to a brutal red. The harvester was overheating and soon the entire powerplant would be melting away.

"Now what?" He asked over the comm-channel.

+Now get the starmap information and get back before the harvester explodes.+ Mission said urgently.

"Great." The Jedi said before taking off in a labored run. The pace he set was grueling, but underwater, he still moved in slow-motion. He powered through the murky black water, his breath labored. As he ran over a steel grated bridge, Alexander caught a glimpse of something massive.

"Oh Force…" He breathed. The creature was truly a leviathan, easily the size of a starship. Alexander's beams of light shinnied along its massive grey body and it stretched far into the distant. It was a firaxa shark, a giant one. It owned the name leviathan without any need for qualification. The creature was near motionless, simply drifting in the water. Its twin golden eyes studied Alexander with something approaching curiosity. Perhaps it knew he had been the one to sabotage the kolto harvester. Massive fins shook in the water, keeping the creature still.

+Just walk by, very slowly.+ Bastila's voice rung in his ear.

"I uh…" Alex's voice was awed, and he found he could barely think let alone move.

+Alexander, if you don't get to the starmap soon, you're going to be caught in the harvester explosion.+ The words hung in the air for a moment before they registered with the Jedi. Starting slowly, Alexander crossed the rest of the bridge.

He came upon the starmap in a clearing. As he approached the device bloomed like a giant metal flower. An orb, its surface smooth and bathed in a faint green light floated from its holder in the center of the starmap. Light flashed and a giant holographic galaxy burst to life. The stars winked in the dull light and glowed like candles in the dark.

"Beautiful."He breathed. The auspex device at his belt flickered on. An endless series of numbers began to scroll as the starmap automatically overrode the nearest tech devices. Alex pulled the device from his belt and glanced at it.

"Just like Kashyyyk." He said, "The starmap is uploading all the information into my auspex."

+Good. Now get back here.+ Bastila told him. Just as he turned, a deep explosion rocked the ocean floor. Alexander balanced for a moment and took off in a run.

+The harvester is melting down.+ Bastila voice was clipped and urgent, +You need to move faster.+

"Not now beautiful." He said and cut the channel. He pounded his legs on the hard rock floor and reached the top of a small hill. He could see the massive rotating blades of the harvester slowly down. The reactor was overheating, sending bright lances of energy across the machine's hull. Alex bounded down the hill, adrenaline giving him strength.

He crossed the bridge in record time and saw the massive looming towers of the station in the distance. Something suddenly gripped his ankle and looked down. Some form of worm, a blood eel, had wrapped around his leg and bit deep into the armor. Acid from the creature's glands ate through the armor. Warning lights flashed in his helm and he ripped the creature from his leg.

He was almost at the airlock when the harvester exploded. He felt rather than heard the explosion before the shockwave hit. Rocks were obliterated and fish were liquefied in moments. Alexander was knocked off his feet and slammed hard into a metal wall. The force of the explosion was tremendous, and the visor of his helmet cracked. Angry red lights flashed hard in his helm display, indicating numerous suit breaches. Already he could feel ice cold water leaking in to his suit. Alex sagged at the floor and his eyes closed as darkness took him.

00000

+Aleszzzzccccrrr, do-zzzccrrr…czzrrrr me?+ the voice was broken by static. Alex groaned and felt blood in his mouth. His eyes opened and he was immeditaly aware of the stench of salt water. Cold dark water was seeping in through countless cracks in his helm. Upon opening his eyes moments before, a thrill of fear had sliced up his spine. He did not know who he was, where he was, or why he was here.

_Alex, please respond. _Bastila's voice called in his head. The force-bond was reopened. With the words came a weak understanding, an awareness. He had memories of his own- at least, he had once possessed them. It suddenly seemed wrong to no longer have access to his own recollections. The memories returned slowly. He saw wars, worlds destroyed and armies put to the torch. He saw a beautiful woman, the same one who had spoken in his mind.

_I hear you…I can't move._ His voice was cold and distant.

_You have to. Your suit is compromised. You have to stand. _

_I… I can't. The pain…it crushes. _

_Alexander, my friend, you promised me you would return. You promised. _

_I did, didn't I?_ Some of the confidence that always carried with his voice returned.

_Have you ever broken a promise? _

…_Never. _

_Do I mean so little to you that you would break one to me?_ She asked. He was certain he felt desire in her words.

_You mean the Galaxy to me, Bastila._ He responded, his words choked with emotion.

_Then stand, Alexander._ She ordered. _Stand._

Alex pushed with all his strength. With his suit generator crushed, he felt the entire weight of the reinforced metal on his shoulders. That combined with the extra ocean water made movement near impossible. But he had promised. He had promised Bastila.

_Yes._ He replied. _I will stand._

He was certain he heard a smile in her voice when it returned.

_Now walk. _

He did as she commanded and took a heavy step. His boot sank into the earth but he stood firm. Already the cold of the ocean was numbing his limbs and breathing was becoming increasingly difficult. Freezing water enveloped his chest, chilling his very blood. Each second that passed brought him closer to death as he walked on. The airlock was only meters away.

Each step took more effort than the last and his numbed muscles were starting to fail. He gasped for air, barely able to get enough of the life giving gas to remain conscious. He felt ice water touch his neck and chin as the rest of his suit filled completely.

_No!_ He screamed in his mind, _I promised!_ The airlock loomed so close he could make out every detail, even in the near complete darkness of the ocean floor. His hand reached out and touched the steel door and it ground open. He staggered in, collapsing against the wall as he did. The water was rising to fill his helmet. Alex took one last deep breath as the water engulfed him completely.

000000

_Alex? Alex, please, talk to me?_

There was no response. Bastila could feel her partner just on the other side of the airlock. The automated systems were just finishing draining the chamber of all ocean water. A green light indicated that the chamber was clear and Bastila pulled on the handle. Nothing happened. She tried again, and received the same result. She glanced in the room through the plexiglass window. Alex was struggling to remain upright and fell to his knees.

"Mission, get this door open now!" Bastila screamed, pounding her firsts on the reinforced glass window of the airlock. The Twi'lek desperately cut and rewired as fast as she could. A series of sparks erupted from the command console and the screen flashed and died.

"I…I can't." Mission words struck Bastila with all the force of a punch. She staggered over to the teen and the still smoking console.

"What?" Bastila snarled and typed madly at the console. Nothing happened. She turned to Mission and gripped her shoulders; she was hurting Mission, and knew it. "What do you mean you can't?"

"I don't have any more computer spikes." Mission squirmed under the Jedi's burning gaze, "The explosion shut the system down."

Bastila pushed the Twi'lek to the floor and dashed over to the airlock. She glanced in and saw Alexander laying on the floor, unmoving. Bastila pulled the lightsaber from her belt and ignited both blades. She launched herself at the reinforced door, slashing and hacking. The super-heated blade tore through the steel door with graceless ease. Her fear gave Bastila strength and she was through the air-lock in moments. She slid to a stop right beside Alexander. His body wasn't moving and she grunted as she turned him onto his back. Water filled his entre helmet, and his eyes were closed.

"No, no-no-no-no-no!" Bastila repeated desperately. She struggled with the clasps on Alex's helmet. She lashed out with the Force and blew the locking mechanics open with a surge of emotion. Water flooded out of the suit, spilling onto the rusted floor. Bastila reached up and unhooked Alex's helmet. His face was pale and lifeless. Without thinking Bastila pinched Alex's nose shut and put her mouth on his. She forced all the air from her lungs into him, then pulled away, breathless. In seconds she tore the chest-piece from the suit. The Jedi put her hands on his chest and pressed.

"Come on Alexander!" Bastila growled as tears began to gather in her eyes. She put her lips to his again and gave him air. She was almost hysterical. Tears poured down her face and she felt like she was about to throw up. Mission stood nearby, helpless and whimpering in sadness. Bastila put her mouth on Alex's lips but they were salty and cold, wet and lifeless. Bastila shook her head and cradled Alex's face in her hand.

"No, I'm not losing you."She said and channeled a Force surge through her hands. She placed one palm on his chest and the other on his cheek. She pushed with all the Force she had and his body lurched from the strike. Nothing happened. She tried again. Still nothing.

"Breathe, Force damn you, breathe!" Bastila screamed and pounded her fists against his chest. Suddenly the man gasped and water erupted from his mouth. Bastila turned him on his side as he spat and coughed up a seemingly endless stream of ocean water.

"Easy, easy." Bastila whispered, gently patting his back, "You're safe. I have you." Alex wretched again, spilling blood laced water on the steel floor. Bastila put a hand to his face. His eyes turned to her.

"Bastila?" He rasped in a broken voice, "Wha…what…"

"Don't talk." She commanded and pulled him into a fierce embrace, "Relax. You're safe." Alex pushed back slightly.

"But…you said…" He took a deep breath, "Nothing…nothing between us." Bastila cupped his face in her hand and kissed him. It was a short, sweet thing. When a few seconds passed, she pulled away, smiling.

"No need to repeat a lie now."


	13. Manaan Prt V

Some worlds by ill-fortune or intent fall far from the countless billions of trade routes and pilgrimages that shape the Republic, linking untold number of stars in an astral cobweb. These worlds may be forgotten or ignored, but are never truly unknown, even if only in a single reference in a report stored in the distant Jedi archives. Tweleve-six-fourteen-Rho was an unremarkable sun. It seemed notable only for the fact that it barely burned bright enough to be called a star at all. The worlds turning about it in their measured heavenly dance were all frost locked spheres of eternal winter.

Tweleve-six-fourteen-Rho had been the fourteenth star system charted, in the sixth sector explored by the twelfth recon/surveyor fleet of the Republic. The star system had been unremarkable, consisting of only five ice planets, a handful of satellites and a single comet on an extended orbit around the dwindling star. Of the five planets, only one proved to be of any interest. Officially it was known as twelve-six-fourteen-Rho-two, but the fleet personal had taken to calling it Boreal after a joke made by a pilot.

Boreal had been earmarked solely because of a unique mineral deposit of crystals used exclusively in Jedi lightsabers. Before the Republic proper could be contacted and mining contracts drawn up for corporations funding the survey project, a single starship had entered orbit. It had been a Jedi cruiser, one of only three ever known to exist. The Jedi laid claim to twelve-six-fourteen-Rho and all the minerals therein. After departing the star system, no reports were filed by the Twelfth fleet. Only a single requisition for more fuel indicated that the fleet had traveled anywhere at all. Twelve-Six-Fourteen-Rho and Boreal were, for all intents and purposes, forgotten.

That had been over three hundred years ago.

No Republic ships had ever returned

Around Boreal a craft fell into low orbit. It was a crenellated blade of discolored silver and blood red, proudly displaying the six-pointed star of the Sith Empire. It arrived alone, but did not remain so for long. Other vessels, warships all, tore holes in reality as they broke from hyper-space. Where a gathered Republic fleet would be uniform in color and insignia, if not in size, the Sith fleet was a riot of colors, design and species. Unlike the Republic, who were a single unified force, the Sith had no such limitations.

The true Sith, those who pledged solitary allegiance to Lord Malak, and Lord Revan before him, where few in number. They had been the Jedi who traveled with Revan, and the soldiers who fought alongside him during the Mandelorian War. Their loyalty was never in question and their skills unmatched. But for all their experience, the veterans of the Mandelorian War had been too few in number to make war with the Republic. So the call had gone out for mercenaries, rebels, pirates and corsairs to join the Sith in making war upon the Republic.

Around the relatively small Sith fleet, over a hundred other vessels made anchor in a protective sphere around Lord Malak's flagship. Some vessels were the slick, bladed black craft of the Pirate-Queen Kayda De'Marakesh and her sadomasochistic warriors. Others were the brutish green vessels of Trandoshan privateers. The Cosairs of the Omen Star Cluster had added their bizarre misshaped craft to the might to the growing Sith armada. The crescent moon ships of the Ice-Moon Syndicates floated alongside their erstwhile blood-enemies of the Hrud Collective. But most of the fleet bore the colors of the mighty, near legendary mercenary clans that dotted the Galaxy. The insular Bone Wolves, the fanatical Disciples of Aleena, the Fists of Crulan Ekev, even the long thought destroyed WarHawks and their ancient starfighter carriers had answered Lord Malak's call.

Many of the warships were twisted and darkened, more brutish in aspect than their original architects had designed, but their lethal grandeur remained. Contact between the ships was hesitant. Greetings passed over crackling receivers, many with tones of guarded reluctance. The Sith rarely gathered in these numbers, and many of the captains were rivals. Only the ever present menace of Lord Malak and his Sith kept the rabble pirates from engaging in open war. None dared cross the Lord of the Sith.

Proximity alarms wailed only once as a small patrol fleet ghosted into range of the auspex sensors. A single Pathfinder class Jedi patrol craft sought to come about and retreat into hyper-space, seeking the only realistic means of survival. Its lesser escorts remained behind, seeking to slow any pursuit. Despite the futility, every second the gunboats could buy for their retreating flagship was precious.

A single craft broke from the Sith's armada, an agile strike cruiser of the Pirate-Queen's armada bearing the name _Ecstasy_. What followed was a massacre unworthy of remembrance in any hall of archives. The Republic gunboats launched a barrage of torpedoes which crashed against the _Ecstasy's_ shields, as effective as broken glass raining against steel. In reply, precise lance strikes cut into the meat of the three Republic escorts, bursting their thin shields in a heat-beat and scouring the metal skin beneath. A second volley, mere moments after the first, carved the gunboats apart in dispassionate surgery. _Ecstasy's_ shield lit up again, kinetic energy rippling across the surface as the cruiser glided through the debris.

With a shark silent pursuit, the pirate strike cruiser loomed close behind the fleeing Jedi craft. With game desperation, the Jedi craft unleashed its meager weapons, batteries of plasma and solid shot spilling into the void, clashing as they dissipated against _Ecstasy's_ shields. The pirate ship returned fire, its lance strikes rupturing the patrol vessel's shield with impunity. With the prey's shields down, the predator didn't leap upon its quarry with a hunger to destroy. _Ecstasy's_ lances fell silent and drew alongside the fleeing vessel. Instead of broadsides opening up and hammering the smaller vessel into drifting scrap, the pirate ship disgorged boarding pods in an overwhelming wave. A dozen spearing across space and digging into the vulnerable skin of the Republic ship. _Ecstasy_ didn't wait, its engines veered in a lumbering arch to rejoin the fleet. Aboard the Jedi patrol craft, over a hundred hyper-aggressive raiders set about the task of purging those crew too loyal or weak to be of use. The survivors of the assault would soon wish they had died alongside their comrades. Only a slow death at the hands of pleasure seeking lunatics awaited them.

It took only three hours for the Pathfinder ship to pull in alongside the gathered fleet, adding it's might to theirs. It bore a new name, the _Despoiled_, to commemorate the atrocities done to the Jedi crew.

Silently, the armada waited.

0000000

Lord Malak stood on the command deck of his flagship, the _Leviathan_, and watched Boreal turning slowing beneath him. Memories of his time spent training on the remote Jedi world came to the forefront of him mind. He remembered freezing temperatures, meaningless meditations and endless reciting of the Jedi Code. He had been a child, barely old enough to read and write, and the Jedi had sent him to this frozen hell. Gods above how he hated this world! His anger escaped in the form of a distorted growl. The warriors standing around him, his Chosen as they had come to be called, shared worried looks. Each former Jedi knew full well the rages Lord Malak was given to, and none wanted to be the object of his wrath. Only one warrior, the upstart known as Darth Bandon, dared to speak out.

"My Lord, is everything alright?" He asked hesitantly. Even being the Shadow Hand of Lord Malak did little to protect him from his master's directionless irritation. Without turning to face his followers, Malak spoke.

"How close are we to cracking the Jedi?" He asked in his low, menacing voice. A second Sith stepped forward and cleared his throat.

"My Lord, she is proving to be quite…resilient." He said and baulked when Malak turned to him, "I…um…Prince Jaan has been in the interrogation chamber with her all day. I can't imagine she'll last much longer."

"You can't imagine." Malak repeated menacingly. He looked at his Chosen, "Is this the same assuredness that led to me purchasing the skills of Calo Nord, and his sallow bounty hunters? Or the same certainty that Bastila Shan would die when Taris burned?"

"There have been setbacks, my Lord." Bandon put in, "But the Republic is near collapse. Our goal is in sight."

"_Our_ goal, Bandon?" Malak eyed him, "Your goal is to obey my every command, worm. Nothing more." Bandon fell to one knee, and lowered his head.

"Command me, Lord Malak."

"Bastila Shan is proving to be a thorn in my side." Malak turned back to the viewing window, and Boreal beyond, "Take a cadre of your finest warriors. Hunt her down. Slay her, and bring me her head." He paused to consider his next words, "And this other Jedi who is traveling with her…bring him to me, alive."

"Alive my Lord?"

"There are…questions I wish answered." He said and strode away from the view window. The Chosen instantly formed a protective ring around him as he made his way to the elevators running the length of the ship. Only Bandon remained behind on the command deck. He had orders and a Jedi to slay.

At a gesture from Lord Malak, the central section of the floor of the viewing chamber began to descend down through the lower decks of the vessel.

It was forbidden on pain of death for any of the vessel's thousands of slave workers to look upon the face of Lord Malak, and, as the platform descended through the main crew decks, snarling overseers rushed to assure immediate obedience amongst the work-crews of prisoners under their command. Already recognizing the tell-tale sound of the descending elevator, many of the slaves cowered in terror, gaze fixed at their manacled feet and their endless work momentarily abandoned, as the platform and the dread figure standing upon it moved past them. Others continued working, raising faces in silent question at the sound of the platform's passing, and showing dark empty holes where eyes should be. Assigned to tasks where eyes were deemed unnecessary, these poor wretches had had their sight brutally taken from them by the hands of their overseers.

One chain-gang member, his still intact Republic Navy officer's uniform showing him to have been only recently captured and enslaved into the Sith's service, either ignored or did not understand his overseer's barked warnings. Risking a glance towards the platform as it rumbled past, he was quickly smashed to the ground by the figure of a slave-master wearing the tribal markings of a Gamorrean raider. Snarling in rage, the Gamorrean brought its vibro-axe up and in one swift blow, summarily decapitated the screaming slave. With solemn ceremony, it reached down to pick up the severed head, holding it up in salute to the passing figure of Lord Malak, the slave's dead eyes now permitted to gaze upon the sight that had been forbidden to them in life.

The Sith Lord paid nothing more than a cursory glance at the slave-master before the platform had completely passed the slaves. The platform locked into a base several levels below the Command Deck and Malak marched through the circular blast doors to the corridor beyond. His Chosen knew intrinsically not to follow him to his destination. No one who had ever accompanied Lord Malak to the torture chambers had ever returned, and their screams had echoed through the corridors for days after they were taken.

Finally Malak arrived at his destination. It was a steel blast door, marked simply as "0-4". It was one of ten special chambers he had order constructed in his flagship in the years since Mandelorian War ended. The scent of blood both dried and fresh was thick in the air. Malak pressed the control pad and the blast door swooshed open quickly. The scent of blood was now very strong in his olfactory receptors. From within he could hear two sets of labored breathed and the soft whimpering of a broken soul.

Malak entered the room and instantly noticed the chilled air. His assisted breaths froze before him. The room was bare, save for a single large surgical table in the center. A man, or at least something that vaguely passed for a man, looked up from his operations and smiled, showing too many elongated teeth. Its beady milk white eyes studied the Sith Lord with undisguised hunger and annoyance. The creature known as Prince Jaan scuttled over on six long jointed legs, more reminiscent of a grotesque insect's anatomy rather than anything natural born.

"Lord Malak." The creature hissed and bowed mockingly, "To what do we owe this interruption?"

"I grow impatient." Malak told him and pushed passed the creature to stand next to the surgical table. He looked down at the pitiful life form there. Lying on the table was a broken, used body, barely resembling the beautiful Omwati she had once been. Her golden hair had been shaved, her Jedi robes had been stripped from her toned body, and her soul laid bare by the tortures done to her. The naked woman, Miona Aner, turned to face Malak as he approached. She had no eyes; they had been removed violently many days ago, as part of her excruciation. Her arms, and legs, were gone, severed by surgical bonesaws without anesthesia. Even sightless, Miona Aner was Force sensitive enough to notice Lord Malak's presence.

"We are almost finished." Jaan hissed, "Resisted ten days of excruciation. Most impressive, yes yes." The creature had a habit of referring to itself as "we". It was rumored Prince Jaan had never been born, rather he was simply stitched together by a mad scientist in an attempt to play God. The creature raised a clawed hand above the Jedi's prone body and plunged the surgically grafted metal blades into her soft, yielding flesh. Miona Aner screamed in agony, the sound echoing horribly through the room. Prince Jaan leaned close to her ear and whispered.

"Tell us, and we won't put you back together." It hissed, "Tell us and we let you die, yes yes." The woman would have cried if her tear ducts still functioned. Instead she let out a pathetic whimper and nodded her head.

"Where is the Temple?" Malak asked. Prince Jaan shot the Sith Lord an annoyed look, upset that all his hard work was being taken from him by the Sith. Still, Jaan had sense enough not to question the Sith Lord. When she didn't respond, Jaan twisted his knives. "The coordinates, Jedi."

"Twenty-six degrees, eighteen-forty-four-point-fifty-six. The heart of the tundra." The Jedi wheezed through broken lips, "Seventy degrees, twenty-three-forty-nine-point-sixty-eight."

"What defenses protect the Temple?" Malak hissed.

"You…you trained there…you know there is nothing." Miona Aner wept, "Please…just kill me."

"How many Jedi train at the Temple?" Malak asked. Miona Aner turned her head away from him and let out a sob. She wept in pain for several moments before Malak gestured to Prince Jaan. The torture-master twisted the blades inside the Jedi and she screamed.

"Focus Miona." Malak said with a hint of amusement, "How many Jedi train at the Boreal Temple?"

"Twenty…twenty Knights…two Masters…" Miona Aner bit her lip to fight back another sob, "Over two hundred Padawans and children."

"My thanks, Miona Aner of the Jedi." Malak let the words hang in the air for a moment before turning and leaving the chamber.

"Lord Malak, what should we do with…her?" Prince Jaan hissed at the retreating Sith. Malak looked over his shoulder at the husk on the table.

"Put her back in her cell." Malak said at length, "She may be of use later." Miona screamed in rage and despair.

"No!" She screamed, "Kill me! KILL ME!" her cries of protest were muffled as the blast doors closed behind Malak. She screamed again and Malak knew Prince Jaan would use her body for a few more hours before returning her to the holding cells. It mattered little to him. He had the coordinates.

Lord Malak pulled a small communicator from his robes and keyed in a frequency.

"Admiral Saul." He waited a moment before the nervous tone of the Admiral replied.

+Yes my Lord?+

"Prepare the assault landers. I have the coordinates."

000000

Bastila looked down at the Jedi lying in her lap and couldn't help but smile. Despite almost drowning, Alexander's features were peaceful. At least, while he slept. Bastila glanced out the window of the Republic submarine as it passed through brightening hues of ocean water. She could just make out a full moon through the midnight blue water. The Jedi in her lap rolled onto his side, and let out an involuntary shiver. He was burning up from his hypothermia, and the meager medical supplies on the submersible had been enough to curb the pain, but little else. He needed fluids; warmth and a full body scan to make sure none of his internal organs had ruptured. It didn't seem like any had, but Bastila was not about to take any chances with his life.

His brush with death had sent her emotions into overdrive, and even in the relative safety of the armored submarine, she watched over him like a mother hawk. Was this what Alexander had felt when she had almost died on Kashyyyk? If so, she couldn't imagine why he had let her out of the medbay, let alone travel the surface of Manaan. Bastila knew she wasn't about to let Alexander tie his own boots, or boil water in the kitchen without her ever present protection. Bastila tightened her grip on the silver thermal blanket draped over Alexander's form and sighed.

How could she possibly explain what happened on the kolto station to her Masters? How could she rationalize the kiss that still burned in her mind? She had loved every second of it, treasured the sensation of her lips on his. It had been a short kiss, but it had been life-changing. It had been her first true kiss, and one she would remember forever. Even with the gut-wrenching horror of almost losing her partner, Bastila couldn't fully explain away her actions. Alex's injuries had only been the catalyst. Faced with the prospect of losing him without saying what she wanted, or doing what she wanted with him had triggered something in her. A desperate need for love, and happiness. Bastila was one woman, and she had one life to live. Why should she ever be denied what was she desired?

Bastila's previous worries about Alexander's true nature still hung like storm clouds in her mind, but in part she ignored it. She knew the man with her was not Revan Sedire. He was Alexander Stargaze, the object of her affection. What worried her was a two sided coin. On one side, at some point he would need to be told the truth. She was sure he could handle it without reverting back to a Sith, but she was terrified he would leave her. Was he capable of forgiving her? Did she even deserve forgiveness? The other side of that coin was a bone deep fear of what the Jedi Council had planned for him. When Malak was dead and the Sith defeated, what would happen to Alexander? Would he be a hero, or a war-criminal? Would his, albeit unorthodox, tactics and skill be taught for generations to come by the Jedi, or would all records of his existence been purged and the names Alexander Stargaze and Revan Sedire be faded from the Galaxy like astral dust trailing a comet?

"Bastila?" A soft voice called out to her. When the Jedi didn't respond, a small hand touched her shoulder. Bastila looked up at Mission and blinked a few times. "Bastila?"

"Yes, sorry Mission. What is it? Everything alright?" She asked, concern suddenly entering her voice.

"Everything is shiny. I thought I'd let you know we're thirty seconds from docking." Mission looked down at Alexander as he slept in Bastila's lap, "Might want to wake him up. I doubt even together we could carry him back to the Ebon Hawk." Bastila blushed and looked away. Mission giggled happily and walked back to the controls with a noticeable spring in her steps. Bastila gently shook Alexander's shoulder and whispered.

"Alex…Alex, you need to wake up now." She whispered in his ear. He groaned in response and pulled the thermal blanket tight around his shoulders. Bastila shook her head; just like a man. Never wakes up on time.

"Come on, up." She said a little louder. This time he opened his eyes and Bastila sighed sadly at how bloodshot they were. "The sooner you get up, the sooner we can get you back to the Ebon Hawk. And maybe get some warm food in you."

"Mmmm…sounds good to me." He said and slowly sat up. Instantly he put his hand to his forehead and shivered.

"Do you think you could hand feed me?" Alex asked, half serious and half joking. Bastila chuckled.

"Sure, why not."

"Could you wear some revealing lingerie too? I'm thinking red and black lace." Bastila stifled back her shock at his boldness and quickly stood up, stuttering in embarrassment. Despite the pain in his chest, Alex chuckled. He stopped when a bright lance of pain shot through his stomach and he doubled over onto his knees. Blood dripped from his mouth and he spat. It was dark, and red. The color of internal bleeding. Bastila was at his side in an instant and she slung his arm over her shoulder.

"Come on, I'm getting you back to the Ebon Hawk _now_." She said and turned to Mission, "Call Carth. Let him now we're on our way." As the two Jedi passed by Mission and waited for the auto systems to finish docking, Mission pulled the communicator from her belt.

"I can walk, Bastila." Alex protested. She studied his face for a moment and sighed.

"Fine. But you are heading straight to the Ebon Hawk's medbay, and I'm not sure when I'm letting you leave." She said firmly. When he made to protest again, she placed a single finger on his lips. "No arguing. Do it or I'm relieving you of command of this mission and ordering you to."

"Sounds like an order either way." He said half heartedly. She smiled at this.

"Maybe. But right now I'm ordering you as your partner, not your superior." Bastila said matter-of-factly.

"More than a partner?" He asked. She eyed him cautiously.

"Maybe." She said after a moment, "We need to talk, Alex. When this is all over, you and I need to talk about…this." She motioned to the two of them, "Us. _Together_." She frowned and shifted closer to him, , "I'm not sure what will happen to us, but...I can't…." she struggled to find the words. She couldn't. Not yet.

"Bastila, it's ok." Alex said after a moment. He reached out and cupped her chin. Bastila looked into his eyes, and smiled sadly. She wanted so bad to make this work, but she didn't know how. Not without losing everything that she was. Just then, Mission jogged up, unintentionally spoiling the mood.

"Hey guys, Carth says there's a problem on the Ebon Hawk." She said quickly. Alex sighed deeply and looked at the ceiling. For the briefest of moments, Bastila was sure she saw a bone-deep weariness in his eyes, in his very soul. A look that said the weight of the Galaxy was on his shoulders. A look that said he had seen more war and death than was allowed to a single person. Something reminiscent of the look she had seen in Revan's eyes; exhaustion, a sense of futility.

"Well there's a switch." He said and chuckled darkly, "Did he say what?"

"He said you two need to see it to believe it."

"Force I hope Carth baked the Galaxy's largest cake and needs help to eat it." Alex said with a smile. Bastila shook her head in amusement. Mission's eyes widened.

"Carth bakes?" She nearly gasped.

"I dunno. Maybe. You should ask him." Alex said cheerfully, but soon he grew serous, "Listen, Mission, you did good down there. It was a tough situation, and you handled it better than any of us." Mission beamed with pride. Alex gently elbowed Bastila when the Jedi didn't say anything.

"Oh, yes, Mission you performed admirably." Bastila said in her usually, monotone voice. Alex cleared his throat and she sighed, "And I think you should have this back." She pulled a small holo-card from her belt and after a moment, handed it back to the wide eyed Twi'lek.

"I think you and I should go get a drink sometime." Bastila said with a genuine smile, "But just _one_ drink." Mission's face was split in a wide smile and she eagerly took her ID card back. After a second of looking at it, she hugged Bastila tightly. The Jedi was momentarily surprised, but hugged her back. A feeling of…dare she imagine it, sisterhood filled her. Bastila hugged the Twi'lek tighter and looked over at Alex. His red-rimmed eyes shinned at seeing the two reconciled.

As the party left the submarine, Mission excitedly chatted with Bastila who looked dumbstruck at the speed Mission could talk. Still, the Jedi seemed happy. T3-M4 rolled out silently, its compact body showing numerous scuffs and dents, and even scorched paint from blaster rounds. Alexander was the last out. He held the thermal blanket tight across his shoulders and shivered. His skin was still noticeably pale. Pain still throbbed in his body and he tasted blood in his mouth again.

Roland Wann stood on the far side of the docking bay, his arms crossed and his face set in a mixture of surprise and annoyance. He stepped down to meet Alexander, taking a noticeable step to bar his way.

"You've returned." He said, not trying to mask his surprise, "I was beginning to think you had been lost too. What happened? Did you find out what went wrong?"

"I'm fine, thanks." Alex said dismissively, and sighed before continuing, "Your construction woke something up."

"Something?" Roland questioned, "Living in the rift by the Kolto?"

"It was a giant Firaxan shark. Its presence drove the Selkath insane. They murdered the station's crew."

"But what of the facility itself?" Roland seemed desperate, "What of the harvester?"

"The harvest suffered from malfunctions and exploded." Roland Wann exploded in anger and he gripped Alex tightly by the chest.

"What? You let the harvester explode?" He screamed, "This will set our operation back years!" Before Alex could respond, or Roland could continue, Bastila appeared as if from nowhere and smashed the enraged Republic operative to the floor. She held her lightsaber in her hands and glared daggers at the startled Republic officer.

"You conduct an illegal mining operation, let dozens of innocent scientists died because of your failures, and we risked _our_ lives to clean up your mess…" Bastila narrowed her eyes, "I have heard the stories of your ineptitude and seen the devastation it has wrought. Your crimes could cost the Republic this world." She activated one blade of her lightsaber, "Choose your next words with exceptional care."

"…maybe…" Roland began and Bastila craned her head as she listened, "Maybe…you should just go, and I'll leave you alone." Bastila deactivated her lightsaber and took Alexander's arm to lead him away.

The embassy personal shuffled from the path of the Jedi as they made their way through. Anyone with half a brain could see the murder burning in Bastila's eyes as she studied the crowds for any threats. She knew she was being overly paranoid, but on a world like Manaan, paranoia was the name of the game.

The blast doors to Ahto slid open and Bastila was greeted by the ever present stench of Manaan again. But after breathing the recycled air of the embassy, submarine and the kolto station, the scent of life invigorated her. She smiled pleasantly and felt Alexander squeeze her hand. She glanced at him and he winked. Bastila blushed and gently tugged his arm up the ramp to Ahto City. The group emerged into the long hallway leading to the city proper and stopped dead in their tracks. Their path was blocked by a dozen armed Selkath officers. One stepped forward and pointed to Alexander.

"Human!" It barked in a brutal accent, "You are under arrest!" The officers approached and Bastila immediately activated her lightsaber.

"On what charge?" She demanded.

"Our spies in the Republic Embassy inform us he traveled to an illegal kolto harvester station on the Hrakert Rift." The Selkath responded, "That same station suffered massive damage and may have damaged the kolto beyond repair. You will answer for these crimes." The Selkath raised their rifles, and Alex could see Bastila was seconds away from fighting. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll go." He said solemnly. Bastila shot him a disbelieving look.

"You can't possibly be serious." She hissed, "You need medical attention."

"I don't think the Selkaths will let me bleed to death." He said by way of a joke. Bastila didn't laugh. "Besides, you need to get back to the Ebon Hawk and deal with this other problem. Take Mission and M4 with you. I'll be there before you know it."

"….Alex…"She whispered, trying to mask her fear and failing. As if to emphasize her point, a series of coughs racked Alex's body and when he removed his hand from his mouth, there was dark red blood on it.

"I'll be fine." He said at length. Bastila's jaw line tightened and she glared at the Selkaths.

"Twenty minutes." She said, "If you're not back in twenty minutes, I'm going to come get you." She gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek and stood aside. The Selkath approached, ripped the thermo-blanket from his shoulders and handcuffed him. Bastila felt her eyes and hands twitch and fought back the urge to strike these Selkaths down. She released a deep sigh and tried to calm her mind.

000000

Malak stomped down on the chest of the Jedi Knight before him, shattering the man's ribcage and peppering his organs with bone shards. Before the Knight could scream, Malak cut the Jedi's head from his shoulder with one powerful stroke of his lightsaber. All around him, the Jedi Temple burned. His warriors, the Mandelorian Veterans now known as the Subjugators, purged the Jedi from the surface of Boreal.

From down the hallway, Lord Malak saw another human Jedi, a middle-aged woman with long black hair peek out from behind a doorframe. Perhaps the Jedi hadn't seen Malak through the smoke, or perhaps she saw too desperate to care, but a moment later the woman ran from the doorway, ushering an entire class of children with her. They were making for the landing pads, and a possible craft off the planet.

"Firing line across the nave!" Malak roared to the platoon accompanying him. Instantly, over two dozen battle-hardened Sith assault troops leveled blaster rifles at the retreating Jedi and opened fire. The Jedi Knight put herself between the Sith and the children and deflected furiously with twin green lightsabers. But there were simply too many for her, and she was cut down in moments. The children lasted a little longer, being much smaller and each with a training lightsaber. But the Sith were merciless, and one-by-one, the children were gunned down too.

A shout went out through the rampaging Sith, and Malak felt a large pressure in the back of his mind. More Jedi were counter-attacking. It was futile, really. The Sith had amassed a force of thousands outside the temple. There was no victory, no escape. No hope.

The counter-attack consisted of the single remaining Jedi Master and eight of the remaining Jedi Knights. Lord Malak and his Chosen Sith met them head on. The Jedi fought with righteous fury, enraged at the murder of so many of their friends and loved ones. They fought like animals in a corner, hacking and slashing with a grim understanding that came from knowing they were moments from death. Sith troopers and Choosen warriors fell before them. But the Sith were too strong, and fought with a cold efficiency that tore the Jedi down, one-by-one. Malak himself met the Jedi Master head-to-head. He was an old, withered man, well past his prime. Despite his age, he had slain numerous Sith troopers and five of Malak's Chosen retinue before coming to blows with the Sith Lord himself.

Lord Malak rained blows down on the Jedi Master, driving him back with each swing of his powerful arms. Malak smashed through the Jedi's guard, and cut his arms off at the elbows. The Jedi sank to his knees in pain, but stared defiantly up at the Sith.

"We will be avenged." The man hissed through blood laced teeth. Malak gripped the Jedi by his throat and hauled him into the air.

"By whom, old man?" Malak sneered through his face grill. The Sith Lord motioned to the second group of padawans, and the two last Jedi Knights who sought to escape with the children. The Jedi had made it to a blast door, but as it opened, any hopes of survival died. A horde of blood crazed pirates fell upon the Jedi with roaring chainblades, barbed hooks on chains, and poisoned tipped daggers. The Knights fought well, but were soon hacked apart. Tears fell from the Jedi Master's eyes and he turned from the sight, unable to watch as the pirates cut into the panicked children.

"You didn't really think they would escape, did you?" Malak laughed. The Jedi Master turned to him, eye ablaze. Before the Jedi could speak, Malak twisted his hand and snapped the man's neck. The body went limp and the Sith Lord let him fall to the blood stained floor.

"Such is the fate of all who stand in my way." Malak said to no one in particular, but he knew his voice had carried over the entire battle, to every Sith, pirate and dying Jedi. Lord Malak studied the dead Master for a moment and without ceremony, turned from the dead Jedi and walked through the melee. A hovering camera-droid followed him, bobbing up and down at it recorded the massacre. The feed was being projected live in Miona Aner's cell, and the recording would be broadcasted throughout the Galaxy to show the inevitable fate of the Jedi.

"Destroy it all!" Malak roared at the top of his lungs, "Leave nothing standing!"

000000

"This is a problem." Bastila sighed and put her hand to her forehead to easy the headache she was getting.

"What…um…what do we do?" Mission asked hesitantly.

"How could this have happened?" Carth asked.

"This is a real big problem." Bastila repeated, ignoring the Twi'lek and pilot. The entire crew of the Ebon Hawk, save their leader, a fact that caused Bastila no small amount of anger, stood in the kitchen in a semi-circle around the dining table. Their problem was at the table. Their problem had dirty blonde hair, sparkling green eyes and a dirty grey tunic. And was eagerly helping herself to a third serving of dinner.

"Where'd you find her?" Bastila asked. Johlee shrugged.

"In the storage room, searching for something to eat." Johlee Bindo had seen fit to purchase a few more supplies while the Ebon Hawk was docked on Manaan. Some would later be made into the fish stew the young girl was devouring, but most was put into storage. It was while storing the rations and freeze-dried meats that Johlee and Juhani had stumbled upon the girl. She had been trying to steal a package of sweet breads.

"Do we know her name?" Bastila asked. The crew shared looks, before all turning to Canderous. The Jedi eyed the Mandelorian, "Canderous?"

"The girl's name is Sasha." He said and scratched the back of his head, "At least I think it is. She speaks a dialect of Mandelorian. Or sometimes she does. A lot of what she says is complete gibberish."

"You can understand her?" Bastila turned back to the little girl.

"Again, sometimes. A few words here and there." Canderous folded his thick arms across his chest, "but she doesn't seem to like me."

"Big surprise." Juhani said under her breath. The Mandelorian clicked his tongue and glared at the Cathar.

"If I had to guess, I'd say she stowed away on Dantooine." Canderous shook his head and walked away, "Probably lost her parents to Mandelorian raiders. Probably an escaped slave or something." Bastila was about to snap at the Mandelorian, but held her tongue.

"Alex speaks Mandelorian, doesn't he?" Juhani asked after a moment.

"That kid can speak anything." Johlee snorted, "Where is he by the way? Carth and I prepped the medbay."

"I don't want to talk about it." Bastila pushed past the Jedi and sat down next to the girl, Sasha. The young girl seemed to have a bottomless stomach. Sasha's green eyes darted cautiously to the Jedi next to her, but quickly went back to her food. Bastila turned to her companions and motioned for them to leave with a quick tilt of her head. The crew broke apart, each returning to their duties or their rooms to rest.

The young girl finished her bowl and glanced up at Bastila slightly. The Jedi smiled reassuringly and picked up the empty bowl. Sasha gripped it too, and after a short game of tug-o-war, relinquished the bowl to the Jedi. Bastila walked over to the pot of fish stew on the counter and spooned a hearty fourth serving for the girl. As soon as she set the bowl down, Sasha dove in again. Bastila watched her eat with a mixture of trepidation and amusement. This was all they needed; a child.

"Do you understand me?" Bastila asked after a moment. Sasha stopped eating and glanced up.

"Musha gushsa Sasha." The girl said, and obviously satisfied with her answer, began to eat again. Bastila sighed and put a hand to her forehead. This was certainly going to be a problem.

000000

Alexander winced in pain and pressed hard against his chest in a futile attempt to alleviate the pressure there. The bright lights of the judge's personal chambers were migraine bright. He imagined they were set so high to aggravate him. The Selkath judge before him let out his specie's equivalent of a sigh, and looked back down at a datapad.

"Again." He said.

"We've been over this a dozen times." Alex groaned, "How many different ways do you want me to tell the same story?"

"We hurrr…are just trying to understand." The judge replied in its broken dialect of Galactic standard. Alexander sighed and gulped back another blood laced mouthful of saliva.

"You claim a leviathan sized Firaxan shark was awoken by this kolto harvester?" Another Selkath, a lawyer began again.

"Yes." Alex sighed, "I already told you this."

"See it from our perspective." The Judge motioned to a chair, "The kolto harvester doesn't bother us. We already knew of it."

"Excuse me?" A second lawyer interrupted, "What in the name of the Progenitor did you just say?"

"Later Olto." The Judge dismissed the lawyer with a curt wave, "But this leviathan. It is hard to believe you."

"Sir, please." Olto interrupted, "This is hardly a conversation for an off-worlder." The judge glared hard at the lawyer who back off quickly.

"Why is this firaxan shark such a big deal?" Alex asked after a moment.

"It is a story, a religious story if you will." The judge told him, "I will not go into detail, but we believe the Selkath are genetic descendants of the firaxan. Specifically, leviathan firaxan. We thought them extinct. But I will ask you this; did you kill this leviathan?"

Alex stiffened, and he knew he had to choose his word carefully, "No sir, I did not. In fact, I destroyed the kolto harvester specifically so I did not have to harm the firaxan." The judge let out a deep sigh and slumped back in his chair.

"This is good to hear." He nodded his head, "You may not have realized it, but you have saved the face of the Republic on this world." He pressed his finger to a data-slate, "I see no reason to detain you any longer. I would ask you to keep this conversation private, though."

The two lawyers glared at the Jedi as he made to get up.

"One more thing." The judge said, "It seems some Republic operative, operating outside the bounds of their government, stole into the Sith embassy and rescued several of our youths who had gone missing. The Sith are trying hard to down play it, but it's a PR nightmare." The judge paused, "You would not happen to know anything about this, would you?" Alex grinned.

"I'm sorry sir, I don't know a thing about that."

"Shame." The judge returned to a data-slate and motioned for Alexander to leave. With one hand clutching his chest, the Jedi walked out of the judge's chambers, and headed back to the Atho City.

The walk back to the Ebon Hawk was easily the worst five minutes of Alexander's life. The pain in his chest was almost cripplingly powerful. When the sight of the Ebon Hawk finally came into view, he let out a relaxing sigh.

_Hey, anyone home?_ He spoke directly into Bastila's mind. There was no verbal response, but not ten seconds later, the landing ramp bore down, and Bastila sprinted to meet her partner. Forgetting momentarily about his injuries, Bastila embraced him fiercely. After a moment, she looked up at his tired, drawn face.

"You're late." She said after a moment. He laughed, but it soon descended into coughing. More blood leaked from his mouth. "Come on, there's a warm bed with your name on it."

"Sounds like a plan." He said at length, "But I'll need someone to share it with." Bastila nuzzled against his neck.

"I think that can be arranged. But keep your hands to yourself."

"No promises."

00000

Boreal burned. Mesmerized, Malak watched as the planet below entered its final death throes. The ice had melted and burned off hours ago, laying bare the broken and dried expanses of once hidden ice-flows. Everywhere, bright lines of fire criss-crossed the planet's surface; rivers, lakes, entire oceans of molten magma flowing up through gaping, bleeding rents in the planetary crust as the planet itself began to break apart. The whole southern hemisphere was ablaze, covered in magma as the planet's molten heart bled out of the continent sized whole the amassed firepower of the Sith fleet had inflicted. Giant earthquakes shook the planet from pole to pole, forming and then reforming its burning topography into an ever changing series of different, fiery visions of Hell. The planet's biosphere was gone; its oxygen-rich atmosphere had ignited at the first firing of the Sith's planet killer weapon systems- and Malak assumed all indigenous life was not extinct. He had personally seen to the destruction of the Jedi on this world. Perhaps they had missed a handful of padawans, or an errant Knight. Perhaps they had survived the initial firestorm that had scoured clean the surface, hiding in shelters deep below the ground, but nothing could have survived the resultant seismic catastrophe as the fleets coruscating energy beams tore apart the planetary crust and ripped into the underlying rock strata, finally cutting through into the planet's molten core.

Malak felt oddly nostalgic, remembering other such moments of triumph, other such spectacles of destruction. He remembered standing next to that arrogant bastard Revan on the Sith Lord's long destroyed battle barge, watching wave after fiery wave of bioweapon missiles, and seismic charges raining down on a dozen different planets. His thoughts were replaced by a bitter hatred, one that could only come from a lifetime of living in a man's shadow. Knowing Revan was dead was such a sweet thing to him. Better than the richest food, or pleasurable activity. The surface of Boreal was almost entirely ablaze now. A gout of fiery magma hundreds of kilometers long erupted from the burning surface and exploded high in orbit. The _Leviathan_ shook from the gravitational field the dying planet was pulsing into the void.

"Helm, take us out of orbit." Malak ordered, "We've seen enough."

+Destination, my Lord?+

Malak smiled, and told him.


	14. Ebon Hawk Prt III

_The emptiness of space shimmered in the glow of distant suns beyond the armored glass. Far away stars and unknown systems turned in their prescribed arcs, without thought to the dramas being played out on the stage of Galactic endeavors. What did those who lived beneath these suns know of the Cheroth system, and the blood that had been spilled to free it from the clutches of the Mandelorians?_

_Far to the Northern Galactic rim, the Cheroth system had been at the forefront of the Mandelorian's crusade, and had been the last star system reclaimed by the Republic. Countless lives had been lost to free this star system from its tyrannical system overlords. But through sacrifice, and the matchless leadership of the Republic's newest hero, Revan Sedire, the Cheroth system had been freed. But what did it accomplish? Was the Galaxy any closer to peace?_

_Revan stifled back the anger such questions provoked, staring into his reflection with frost-like eyes. His once bright, cheerful features were twisted now, and his mouth was set in a permanent frown. Revan turned from his reflection, uncomfortable with the dreadful disappointment he saw there. Glinting metal caught his sullen gaze and Revan marched to a shadowed alcove on the far side of his room.  
Bastila followed him, head tilted curiously over his shoulder. Amongst all the trinkets, medals and awards hidden in this corner, far from the hungry eyes of any reporters, a single item drew Revan's attention. It was a golden broach, cut into the shape of an Oak leaf. A red tassel of perfect velvet hung from a single loop on the stem. Revan picked up the trinket and studied it for a long time. _

"_What is it?" Bastila asked, but the phantom would never hear her, "What happened here?" she reached out to place her hand on his. As expected, she passed straight through the memory, and went bitterly ignored by the brooding Jedi. Turning from the reliquary, Revan paced the hard metallic floor of the gloomy cavernous chamber, trying to find some solace in the featureless grey walls. Thick steel columns supported a great vaulted ceiling, its upper reaches lost in shadow. And the hum of the mighty starship's reactor beat like a pulse in the metal. _

_The door to the chamber slid open, and a Jedi in a dark brown robe strode in. The newcomer's head was bald, shaved smooth and oiled. Like Revan, his face bore the horrors of war and looked more worn than it had any right to be. _

"_What news?" Revan sighed, and Bastila's heart ached at the sadness in his tone. At first Malak ignored him and walked over to a featureless wall cabinet. Inside Bastila saw a few dusty bottles of deep ambers and rich reds. Malak chose one of the bottles unscrewed the cap and took a heavy swig. The Jedi made a face, gagged, and took another sip. _

"_That bad, huh?" Revan asked with a small hint of a smile. Malak shook his head. _

"_Worse." He said darkly, and the frown returned to Revan's face. Malak produced a datapad from inside his robes. "The administration of Governor-Elect Targana has failed. At approximately fourteen hundred hours, a mob a rioters and vagrants stormed the capitol building and put the Senate and Cabinet to the torch. I'm sorry Revan." Malak handed the datapad to his friend, "Lennia Targana was publically executed two hours later in the central plaza. Her head is still on display."_

_Revan took the pad and fell heavily into a worn leather chair. He skimmed the contents for a moment and let the pad fall from his grip. He rested his head in his hands, and Bastila was shocked to see his eyes brimmed with unshed tears. She knelt next to the Jedi, her friend, and tried to put a hand on his shoulder. She passed through again, and she almost screamed in anger. _

"_Too much…" Revan whispered. Malak looked away, knowing full well the pain his friend bore, "It's too hard. Why were we tasked with bringing peace to the Galaxy?" Revan retrieved the datapad, "I promised Lennia that if she put in one year as Governor, the Republic would return to restore Cheroth to its former glory. I promised her she could retire to any planet in the Galaxy. She deserved nothing less. Her wife died to free Cheroth, for Force's sake!" _

"_I remember." Malak said sadly, "A lot of people died for Cheroth. A lot of loved ones." _

_Revan walked over to the armored window on the far side of the room, and stared down at a rotating orb of bright green and deep blue. The capital world, Cheroth IV. _

"_Cheroth was once the very model of a civilized star-system." Revan put his hand to the glass and closed his eyes, as if reading the soul of the planet through the Force, "Its people were happy and free, taxes were at a fair rate, and the economy was growing. The government was large, but it functioned well. Lennia was supposed to help restore this place. She sent me a wave-message six months ago. She asked if she should lower the taxes, just to make it easier for these poor people. They suffered so much at the hands of the Mandelorians." Revan laughed bitterly. _

"'_Let them bask in their freedom a little longer' I told her. We were supposed to make them happy." Revan let his hand fall to his side, "We were supposed to help them… And now we return to this!" he roared in anger and swept his arm over a nearby table, smashing a picture frame to the ground and scattering a dozen reports over the cold steel floor. He held up the datapad Malak had given him. _

"_A murder every eleven seconds, a rape every nine seconds. Suicide rates doubling every month, violent crime rising exponentially every quarter." Revan shook with rage and tossed the datapad against the wall. It shattered into a thousand pieces, and the dark news it contained was lost to the galaxy. "Within a year, there will be nothing left of the civilized worlds Cheroth had once been!" _

"_Without fear of reprisal the Galaxy reverts to its basic instinct." Malak said as he approached the armored viewing glass._

"_This is it, Mal." Revan said darkly, "The ultimate proof that the Jedi's belief in the goodness of freedom is folly of the worst kind." _

"_No!" Bastila screamed, "No, that's not right! Freedom is a beautiful thing, Alex…don't destroy it. Don't let one failed world darken your soul." She was ignored, as she knew she would be. _

"…_.then ...you intend to go through with the…attack?" Malak asked hesitantly. _

"_Of course." Ravan turned back to the planet, "Only the most extreme measures with serve as an example of our strength of will. Cheroth is dead to us now." He placed a hand over the planet and clenched his fist, "We have come for you all." _

_The war-torn moon of Telebore was just beginning to rise from the opposite side of the planet. It would be night soon, in the capital city. But there would be no more dawns for this doomed world. Reflected light glinted on the hulls of the Republic fleet. A half century of vessels arranged themselves in battle formation over the diseased crime riddle boil that was the capital city of the entire Cheroth system. The voxcaster in his chamber crackled to life._

_+Sir, we are receiving a hail from the planet.+ The helmsman reported, +The self-appointed Patriarch of Cheroth wishes to know what offering you come bearing. What are your orders sir?+_

_Revan and Malak stared down at the planet for a long, terrible moment._

"_Please, it's not too late." Bastila begged. She was standing next to Revan, and was desperately trying to get his attention. She knew it was futile. _

"_We can still turn back." Malak said, "There's still hope for peace."_

"_There was never any hope." Raven turned from the planet and marched to the far side of the room. There, the golden oak leaf still hung from his board of trophies. Revan tossed the leaf to the ground and smashed it flat with his armored boot. He ground the golden oak leaf into the steel floor until it was nothing but powder. _

"_All ships, open fire!" _

_Incandescent spears of blinding white light leapt from the barrels of uncounted batteries, stabbing down at the world below, converging and multiplying their energies. The power of a thousand caged stars coalesced into a pillar of light, thicker than the largest mountain of Cheroth IV. The great beam dispelled the darkness that shrouded the capital city. The skies bathed in light and fire, blooming into life as the awful heat of the Republic's bombardment ignited the air for kilometers in all directions. The blinding lance of pure energy tore through the capital city, leveling great skyscrapers in instant and vaporized tens of thousands in the blink of an eye. Unimaginable energies tore through the planet's layers until they reached the core in a cataclysmic explosion the likes of which the galaxy had rarely seen. _

_Revan watched the death of Cheroth with cold, lifeless eyes. He felt the enormity of the action he had just taken settle upon him. Bastila watched him, her face emotionless. _

"_What have we done?" Malak asked, awed. _

"_We have proven that the creed we live by is more than just empty words." Revan turned from the burning planet, "Come. We have a Galaxy to bring to order." Malak hesitated and glanced back at the burning planet. _

"…_how can this be for the greater good?" He whispered. Revan turned and offered his friend his hand. _

"_Trust me." He said. Malak held the Jedi's gaze for a long moment and nodded. _

"_Always."_

0000000

Bastila's eyes popped open and she inhaled deeply. She didn't move for the longest time. She just stared into the dark, her mind slowly piecing together what she had seen. She was aware of a deep, slow breathing next to her. A thick, warm arm was draped around her waist. A body was pressed against her back. She sighed deeply and Alexander's warmth seeped through her tired body. But she had to get up. Gingerly, she removed Alex's arm from her waist Silently she stood up, careful not to disturb her sleeping partner.

The lights of the medbay were dark as befitted a starship during its night cycle. Alexander's wounds had been many, but thankfully none were beyond the skills of the medbay's medical programming. Several of his bones suffered from compression fractures, and the ingested sea-water had ruptured blood vessels throughout his body, specifically his lungs. Bastila studied the man's features in the soft light.

What was she doing here? This was insane, sneaking about at night for a few hours of comfort together. She couldn't keep doing this. It was against the Jedi code, against everything she had been raised to believe. She knew it was wrong, but why did she still do it? What in the name of the Force drove her into this man's loving arms late at night?

Bastila exited the medbay, and stepped into the cold, shadowed corridors of the Ebon Hawk. She glanced down the hallway, back towards the main room, and her bedroom beyond. She doubted she would return to sleep this night. Instead she made her way to the cockpit. Perhaps time alone amongst the stars would help calm her mind.

The green, red and yellow lights of the control consoles danced and winked in the dull light. Beyond the viewing shield, Bastila could see an endless ocean of stars. They were like snowflakes at night, barely visible but just as meaningful.

"Rough night?" A voice suddenly called out. Bastila gasped and raised her hands to defend herself. The pilot's chair spun around, and Bastila was shocked but not at all pleased to see Johlee Bindo staring at her intently.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. Johlee shrugged and turned back to the stars.

"They say the Republic never sleeps." He said distantly, "But out here, amongst the stars, there is an illusion of sleep. A chance to think and free the mind. I close my eyes…the stars do not go out simply because I'm not looking at them."

"Not yet." Bastila sighed and slumped into a chair. Johlee laughed.

"No, haha, not yet."

"Alex is right" Bastila said, annoyed, "You speak in such cryptic language it is impossible to tell if you're wise, or simply insane."

"Mind your manners when addressing your superiors." Johlee snapped back and spun to glare at her.

"Well when a superior comes along, be sure to let me know." Bastila said coldly, "Because all I see is an old man with a chip on his shoulder." A tense silence descended between them. Johlee sighed and spun the chair back towards the stars.

"So, you and the kid huh?" He asked casually. Bastila glanced at one of the many console lights before sighing and getting up. She slouched down in the co-pilot seat next to Johlee and put her legs up onto of the console.

"Any point in lying to you?" She asked after a moment.

"None." He smiled gently, "I'm too old for such games." Bastila slowly nodded her head.

"I don't know." She said, "Maybe. This thing with Alex…it's like however much I'm drawn to him, I'm equally repulsed. It defies all reason and logic. And I'm a Jedi. I should be above this. The Force is my companion in life now."

"You Jedi put too much stock in reason, and the Force." Johlee scoffed.

"The Force binds the Galaxy together." Bastila argued.

"No, gravity binds the Galaxy together." Johlee said, "You want to understand Galactic totality, be an astrophysicist. The credo of the Jedi is just meant to be a guideline. Not even a set of strict rules. Just a guideline." Bastila was quiet, and looked out into space. Johlee continued.

"That's why I couldn't stay a Jedi." He said, lost in memory, "I couldn't be party to the hypocrisy and ignorance the Jedi preached. I watched too many of my friends dive headfirst into wars on planets whose names they couldn't even pronounce. And for what? Meaningless accolades and a chance to live in more self denial. Pointless…"

"And that is where you and I differ, Mr. Bindo" Bastila finally found her voice, "Triumph over adversity, self sacrifice and the capacities to endure…these are noble ideas and the very heart of what the Jedi believe. Yes, sometimes in defense of the Galaxy, we are required to make heavy sacrifices. But we must, because if we don't, no one will."

"So…you have to give up happiness for no better reason than because someone has to?"

"I…that's not what I meant." Bastila stammered, "Sometimes sacrifices must be made. And the Jedi are the only one capable of doing so."

"Bastila, do you really think the Galaxy would crumble over night if you let yourself fall in love with Alexander?" Johlee asked. His tone gave Bastila a pause. He was being serious.

_Would it really be so bad?_ She thought to herself. They could build a house together on some remote farm world and raise a healthy family. Or maybe buy an apartment in the Golden District of Coruscant. She could own a book store, and spend her days reading and educating. Or, Force, she could do anything. She was bright enough, and had drive. She could be a doctor, or a politician, or a pilot. Anything she wanted. And she could be happy, with Alex.

But what about the truth? The Jedi weren't about to let Revan Sedire return to civilian life. He was too valuable as a source of information. And he was too dangerous. The Jedi were a forgiving Order, but not a forgetting one. He would never be trusted again. They would never be a peace.

"Its…not that simple." Bastila said after a moment, "I wish it was…but…"

"Being with a reformed Sith Lord is never simple, young one." Johlee's eyes never wavered from the stars. Bastila felt the color drain from her face, and her heart went cold. It was impossible. Less than a dozen people knew the truth. Dread gripped her so tight she was momentarily at a loss for breath. Seconds, or maybe it was minutes, or even hours passed as she stared in mute shock at the old Jedi next to her.

"I…I…you…" She stammered, "How did…?"

"I'm old, Ms. Shan." Johlee chuckled, "But I'm not stupid. I got two eyes, same as you." Bastila lunged at the old Jedi, her fear and anger giving her speed she never knew she possessed. She gripped Johlee by the front of his robes.

"Who told you?" Bastila hissed through clenched teeth, "Who else knows? If you're a Sith spy, I swear by the Force I will strike you down." Johlee struggled under her burning gaze.

"Easy, easy." He managed, "No one told me. And I'm not a spy." Bastila eased up slightly but still kept her hands tight on his robes.

"How do you know?" Her gaze was still murderous.

"I was around five years ago, Bastila." He explained, "I saw Revan in person once. Back on Hurl'ta. I was still a traveling pilgrim then. I remembered his face. And I put two and two together."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the Jedi launch a daring raid on Revan's flagship, but before they can kill him, his lifelong friend betrays him." Johlee smiled ever so slightly, "But no body is ever produced. And the Jedi let the story of Revan fade from common knowledge. Suddenly, a new, incredibly powerful Jedi emerges with a soul as pure as marble. He's strong, handsome, charismatic and a Force titan. Everything Revan once was. I can think, young one."

Bastila sat back in her chair and sighed. "Why haven't you said anything?"

"It wasn't my place." He said, "If he's going to learn the truth, it should be from the woman he loves, not some old man with a chip on his shoulder."

"Loves?" Bastila repeated. Johlee shook his head sadly and got up.

"Not too bright are you?" Johlee sighed. Bastila bristled and quickly stood up.

"I know he cares about me." Bastila snapped but then faltered, "But…I just never thought…"

"That you'd love him too?" Johlee glanced at her. She baulked slightly. Johlee put his hand on her shoulder.

"No point in lying, young one." He said. She smiled slightly.

"You're too old for that game, right?" She asked through her grin.

"I'm not that old." He scoffed and chuckled. After a moment, his face grew serious, "The Force is just energy. Like gravity, or magnetism. It's not inherently evil, or good. It's just there. Good and evil come from within here." He placed a hand on her chest, just over her heart. "You found someone who can bring out the good in you." His eyes glazed over and Bastila knew he was no longer just seeing her, "You two won't be around forever. Enjoy this while you can." He smiled sadly, "Don't let it go to waste."

He left Bastila there, speechless and overcome with emotions. The young Jedi sank back into the copilot's chair and stared out into space. No, she would not be getting back to sleep tonight.

000000

Aboard a ship crewed by current Jedi, ex-Jedi, street thieves and war veterans, there was no such thing as normal. With so many opinionated voices, harsh words and stress locked minds, every morning cycle brought a new avalanche of problems. Sometimes, in the calms between storms, Bastila thought of home.

Well, her approximation of home. She was a Jedi; she had no set home. No warm house to return to, no pet cythar-cat waiting to be fed. No meals to cook, books to read or worn leather chairs in desperate need of someone to sit in them. She only had steel grey walls, identical from one meditation cell to another. How many Temples, shrines, and outposts had she been to in her life? A dozen? Two? Had any one grey lifeless cell meant more than another?

What she missed was peace and quiet. She missed being able to mediate for hours on end, or walking through a garden to contemplate. She missed the comparatively peaceful life of a line-Jedi. Bastila glanced down at the datapad in her hands, and reread the same paragraph for the sixth time this morning. She sighed and put the report away. Alexander sat down next to her, and placed his food tray on the table. Bastila eyed the food. Baked biscuits and gravy. A simple meal; easy to prepare. It had been Carth's turn to make breakfast, and it turned out he could bake reasonably well.

"Hungry?" Alex asked cheerfully. Bastila shook her head.

"No, not really." She said playfully and snatched the fork from his hands. Before he could protest, she pulled the tray in front of her and began to eat. Alex watched for a moment and chuckled under his breath. She glanced at him and smiled sweetly. Alex stood to get a second serving for himself. Johlee and Juhani shared a knowing look and grinned slightly.

This time when Alex sat down to eat, he sought to protect his meal. Instead of sitting next to his deceitful partner, he chose one next to their young stowaway. Sasha looked up from her meal, her second serving, and nodded. For whatever reason, she had not shied away from him.

"Good morning to you." He said.

"Busha." Sasha replied. It wasn't pure Mandelorian, but it was close enough. Bastila watched the two interact for a few moments. To her knowledge, Alexander had never spoken more than three words to a child before. But here he was, sitting comfortably next to one and exuding an aura of calm friendliness. Sasha had taken an instant liking to the Jedi. No one could explain it, least of all him. Carth had joked that it was a shared childishness that drew them together.

Whatever the reason, Bastila was grateful. She had no experience with children and was happy to delegate the responsibility to Alex. The young girl spoke a few hushed words to Alexander and by the look on his face, it took him several moments to fully comprehend her. He turned to Bastila and tugged on her shirt to get her attention. Bastila looked up from her stolen breakfast.

"Hm?"

"Hey, um…" Alex paused to consider his words, "Sasha…thinks…well…that you stink." Bastila blinked at him several times, her face growing redder by the moment. Whether her coloration was from anger or embarrassment was beyond him.

"What?" She asked.

"Yeah, you should go shower." He said, "You smell like fish." Bastila turned back to her food, and covered her face. She clicked her tongue and glared at him.

"I am not going to forget this one." She said, and smirked, "When you least expect it, I'll get you back." She scarfed down the last biscuit and stood. "Save me another serving." She said between chewing. Alex chuckled and winked at her. Bastila blushed and quickly left the mainroom. She took a quick sniff of her undershirt and made a face. Ok, maybe she did need a shower.

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Bastila couldn't help but laugh aloud as the hot water ran down her skin. She held her head under the shower nozzle for a long time, laughing as the water tore away at the filth covering her. Already the washroom was filling with steam. She had the water on almost scalding, and her skin warmed at the touch.

Bastila squeezed a small amount of shampoo from her travel tube and ran it through her hair. She sighed and smiled. Force above, she needed this. Water ran down her naked form and she embraced the feeling. Her hands gingerly traveled to the scar tissue on her stomach. It was a knotted mess of pink and dull tan tissue. She had never been one to consider herself attractive, but still she was upset at the ugly appearance of her scars. She stayed in the washroom for almost a full half hour, thoroughly washing her hair and her body clean of the grime from Manaan. When she was done, Bastila wrapped a towel around her body and, making sure no one was around, dashed to her room.

She found a fresh pair of robes in her traveling trunk and smiled. Her armor from Manaan was stacked neatly in an alcove. It was dented, burned and torn. Later she would take it to the maintenance table in the cargo-bay and repair it. Loathed to admit it, she would not have survived half of what she experienced on Manaan if she wore her robes. Perhaps Alexander was right. Perhaps armor was not as bad as she thought. Bastila blushed slightly. She told herself she wanted her armor repaired for the security it offered, not the looks it earned from Alexander. Bastila quickly ran a comb through her hair, sparing little more than a few seconds on the action.

Bastila paused in the center of her room, and glanced around. With a start, she realized she had free time. There was nothing pressing for her to do. A slow smile crossed her face. Bastila retrieved her journal datapad from its place in her knapsack and sat cross legged on her floor. She spent the next few hours logging everything she had experience on Manaan, including her reoccurring dreams of Revan's life.

Satisfied, she put the datapad away and decided to check up on her partner.

Bastila entered the common room, comfortable back in her Order's robes. Her towel was draped over her shoulders and she periodically rubbed it through her still wet hair. She took in the scene before her and smiled. Mission and Juhani were at the hololithic table, enjoying a board game of some sort. Alexander and Sasha were sitting next to each other, the young girl leaning slightly on the Jedi's arm. Johlee, Carth and Zaalbar were nowhere to be seen.

Her partner was reading slowly and peacefully from a datapad he held. From the look on the young girl's face, it was clear there were pictures to go along with the words. Bastila doubted the girl could understand the words, but the pictures held her attention. Bastila smiled.

"Fantasizing about starting a family, eh Jedi?" A hard voice sneered in her ear. Bastila glanced out of the corner of her eye.

"Unlike you Canderous, I can observe two people having a good time and not riddle them with laser-fire." Bastila replied hotly, "Perhaps is comes from being on the winning side of war. You Mandelorians should try it someday."

"More of that Jedi entitlement." He sneered, "Think you're all high and mighty. I'm the only one here who's seen massed war. Only true veteran of the Mandelorian War. All you royalty types have only heard stories. Invade a planet, princess, then come talk to me about the pleasures of life."

"A pleasure for my life would be to never have to talk to you again, Canderous." Bastila replied and walked away before the Mandelorian could continue. The war veteran shook his head in disgust and turned his predatory gaze on two of his other least favorite crew members.

"_The Cathar and the Twi'lek_." He thought, "_Perfect_" Canderous approached the hololithic table and squinted down at the pieces. "Aren't you going to jump her thrall and take the three pieces behind it?" He asked Mission innocently.

"We're playing Chess, not Draughts." Mission said as her hand hovered over one of her knights. She made her move and Juhani smiled.

"Feh!" Canderous scoffed, "My clan never used to play Chess. Draughts is a man's game."

"Funny." Juhani said and jumped Mission's knight with her matriarch, "I always thought it was for folk too thick to understand chess." Mission eyed the Mandelorian for a moment and chuckled.

"Har har, little kitty." He sneered, "If you Cathar could fight half as well with your fists as you do your tongues, maybe the Mandelorians wouldn't have conquered your homeworld so easily."

Anger flashed in Juhani's eyes and she bared her teeth in a snarl. The Mandelorian grinned back. After a moment, the Cathar was impassive.

"Your barb is wasted, warmonger." She said and turned back to the game, "I wasn't born on the Homeworld. Never visited. Besides, if you Mandelorians could kill people who shoot back half as well as you do innocent children and civilians; maybe you wouldn't have lost the war." She glanced up at the stern faced Canderous. "Shoo. Go brood about your defeat somewhere else."

"Feh…women…" Canderous sneered and stalked away. Juhani and Mission shared a look and both broke down laughing. The two had bonded slightly in their mutual dislike of the Mandelorian. Most of the crew had bonded in that way.

"Where were you born, if not the Cathar homeworld?" Mission asked curiously. A dark shadow fell over Juhani's face.

"I mean no offense, Mission, but that's not something I'm comfortable discussing." Juhani replied carefully. Mission held up her hands.

"Fair enough." She said, "Some things are better left forgotten, eh?"

"Ja'…forgotten…" Juhani said distantly. A moment passed, and Juhani quickly smiled at the Twi'lek, "Whose move is it?"

000000

Bastila sat down on the opposite side of Alexander and glanced over at the datapad in her partner's hands.

"The White Moon of Net?" She asked, "Not exactly a child's story." Alex shrugged.

"It's the only one she wanted to hear." He said, taking a pause from his recitation. Sasha glanced up slightly, eyes half closed. She poked Alex in the stomach.

"Care to listen?" He asked cheerfully. Bastila nodded and rested her head on his shoulder too. Alex returned to the story, and Bastila was surprised at his abilities. He spoke using different voices for each character, added dramatic pauses when necessary, and even faked a terrible Bothan accent. Every now and then, an illustration would cross the datapad and Sasha would take several moments to study every detail. It wasn't long before the two Jedi noticed Sasha had grown still, and her breathing had become a soft rhythmic snore.

"I swear you could jump into a river and come out dry." Bastila whispered, "Johlee spent hours yesterday trying to get her to relax." Alex shrugged and slowly picked Sasha up in his strong arms. He motioned for Bastila to follow and the two walked through the ship silently. The Ebon Hawk had little room to spare, but they had managed to set up a temporary bunk in the hanger for their stowaway. It was by far the largest room in the ship, and offered a lot of deepening shadows in the corners. Gingerly Alex set the girl down on the bunk and tucked her in.

"There." Alex whispered, "She'll be asleep for a while."

"What are we going to do with her?" Bastila asked.

"Carth sent a message back to Dantooine." Alex said, "A man named Lur Arka Sulas claims to have been looking for her, on behalf of her parents. He's going to meet us on Tatooine."

"Oh." Bastila said softly. Alex gave her a curious look.

"You not getting attached, are you?" He asked playfully. Bastila sneered jokingly at him.

"Don't be ridiculous." Bastila said and looked down at the girl, "No, of course not. How…how silly of you to think that." She quickly turned and walked away. Alex lingered a few moments longer and sighed. He had always wanted a family, eventually. He put the thought from his mind. He was a Jedi now. He had a greater purpose. He glanced back at Bastila's retreating form. An itch formed in his mind, something that set his nerves afire.

There was something more to Bastila than he had told Mission on Manaan. Something dark? Sinister? He couldn't put his finger on it. Every day since training at the Jedi Enclave he awoken with a burning headache and half remembered dreams. Flashes of war, and death and fire. Alex wanted answers and he knew who had them.

With each step, his confidence and anger grew until he was outside Bastila's door. He knocked and a moment later, his partner opened it. She was smiling until she saw the look on his face.

"We need to talk." Alex's voice was firm, and broke no argument. Still, Bastila's face hardened.

"I was wondering when this was coming." She said dejectedly. She motioned him into her room.

"I've been patient." He said almost menacingly, "I've let you relax, eat, shower, and we've even napped together a few times. But I need to know; what happened on Manaan?"

What could she tell him? The truth would destroy him. He deserved the truth that much she knew. But she couldn't tell him. She couldn't

"Alex, you know I trust you." She said at length, "You know I would never lie to you." She looked into his blue eyes, "So I have to ask you to trust me now. What happened on Manaan…I…I can't tell you." His features hardened and he jawline tightened.

"I figured we'd get to this point." He said, "More Jedi secrets, eh?"

"Don't say it so hatefully." She sighed, "It's not like I want to keep you in the dark. But I know what I'm doing."

"Whatever it is, we can deal with it together." He prompted, and Bastila felt her resolve wavering.

"I…I…can't" She turned from her partner, unable to look at the hurt in his eyes. An uncomfortable silence descended.

"So you don't trust me?" He said at last. Bastila reeled from his words.

"No!" She protested, "I trust you with my life!"

"But not enough to tell me what's going on?" His eyes hardened, "Not enough to actually do something that matters."

"Please, stop." Bastila whispered

"I was beginning to think we actually were sharing something special." He said, equally parts angry and hurt, "Guess not."

"Alex, please."

"I really thought we could share anything, Bastila. That being friends meant something. I-"

"Force, damn-it enough!" Bastila snapped, "Enough!" She advanced on him, "I don't owe you anything Alexander Stargaze. I was a Jedi long before I met you, and I will be a Jed long after we eventually part ways. You're asking, no-demanding that I break with my Order, my entire existence, simply because we've shared a few glances and moments of intimacy?" She saw the pain in his eyes and regretted her words. She had already broken with central aspects of the Jed by growing so attached.

"I'm not going to deny there is an…attraction between us." Bastila sighed, "But we need to have…perspective. Our mission is…stressful. I'm not going to do something I'll regret for the rest of my life simply because of a traumatic attachment." Bastila felt inhuman. She lied through her teeth, and knew it. It was much deeper than anything she could admit, but she needed Alexander to back off. She needed him to concentrate on the next mission, not her emotions. If she had to push him away, even if she had to break his heart, she would. Bastila would live with the consequences, and hope something could be salvaged after Malak was dead.

"So this is just stress?" Alex asked, "I'm…a, what? A stepping stone for you? Something to overcome on your way to being a master?"

"No, that's not it." She sighed and shook her head, "You make it sound like I'm using you."

"Sounds like you are to me." He said and crossed his arms, "Sounds a lot like that."

"This isn't easy for me, Alexander." She snapped, "I'm not used to this…this intimacy" Her hand reached out to touch his face, but she stopped short. "I feel lost."

"Fine, I'll make it easy." He said. Before she could stop him, Alex wrapped his muscled arms around her slim waist and pulled her close. She fell into his embrace and sighed happily. "See how easy this is?"

Bastila didn't respond. She just melted into his embrace, knees weakening by the second. How could something this wrong feel this amazing? His warmth was so comforting, so enticing. She didn't want it to ever go away. Alex saw her easing up slightly and an idea formed in his mind.

"Bastila, are you ticklish?" He asked. The color drained from her face and she leapt out of his embrace.

"Alex, no." She held up her hands to the advancing Jed, "Stop right there." Her partner paid her warning no heed and leapt at her. The two Jedi fell backwards onto her bed, sinking into the soft mattress.

"Tell me all your secrets." He whispered and traced a line across her stomach. Bastila gasped.

"Never." She managed in a challenging voice.

"Tell me." Alex said half heartedly. His hands danced across her skin and she squirmed. Her eyes were wide in shock and happiness.

"No-ha-ha-ha-ha-stop-ha-ha-ha." Bastila gasped and tried to crawl away. Alex caught her with one arm and held her closer. His free hand played across her stomach, rubbing and tickling.

"You can make it stop." He said casually, "What happened on Manaan?"

"Please-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-Alex-ha-ha-ha-I-can't-ha-ha" She tried to breathe in deeply but her laughter exploded again. "Ha-ha-ha-stop!"

"Not until you tell me." He was merciless in his attention. Alex smiled and kissed her neck ever so gently. Bastila gasped with delight and shock. "Tell me." He whispered. He traveled down her body and kissed her stomach, and traced a finger over her scar tissue. He sighed sadly and kissed her scars gently, "I'll always protect you." Bastila pushed back against him, and stared into his blue eyes.

"Alex I love you." She blurted out. Instantly his hands fell from her skin, and he stared at her, mouth agape. Her hands shot to her mouth, eyes wide with fear. But it was too late.

"You…you love me?" He asked, his tone hushed. Bastila shoved him off of her.

"No-no-no-no-no." She repeated and made for the door. Alex caught her arm and stopped her.

"Wait, please." He begged. She pulled against him, struggling.

"Let me go!" She snarled, "Alexander, let go of me!" He pushed her against the wall, eyes staring intently into her twin amber orbs.

"You love me." He repeated. It was not a question. She squirmed under his strength.

"No. We're Jedi!" She stammered, "It can't…we can't…"

"Bastila, please."

"No! We have a mission. The Galaxy…Malak…if he finds out…" She grasped for any possible escape from this situation.

"This isn't about Malak. Or the Jedi." Alex protested, "This is just you and me. Together."

"Together?" Bastila breathed. The word was so enticing, so exciting. She reached out and touched his cheek. Reason and restraint bled from her thoughts and she pulled his face to hers. Their lips met in a burning, passionate kiss. Bastila poured everything she could into that kiss. This one stolen kiss. Her lips burned and she embraced it. Seconds ticked by, blissfully ignored. When she pulled away, she was dizzy and stared heavily into her partner's eyes.

"…Alex…I…" Her voice was barely above a whisper. Her partner smiled down at her, his eyes shining in the dull light.

"We can do this." He said confidently, "Trust me." The smile fell from Bastila's face in an instant. _Trust me. _The very words he had used to convince half the Galaxy to go to war with the Republic. Suddenly the utter wrongness of her situation struck Bastila anew. She staggered under the dreadful ideas of lust, love and companionship. She was a Jedi. She had made a sacrifice for the betterment of the Galaxy.

"No…" She whispered, "No this is wrong." She pulled away from his embrace and made for the door.

"Bastila." Alex's tone stopped her in her tracks, and she turned to him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, "Don't."

"I'm sorry." She breathed and pressed the door control, "Please leave." Alex nodded slowly and left without a word. The door closed behind him, the sound echoing in her heart as she closed off her feelings. Johlee had been wrong. The Force was something greater than energy. She had to trust in it. Bastila wrapped her arms around her body and bit back her tears. She would sleep alone tonight. No warmth. No contentment. No Alexander.

Just her.

The way it had to be.

That night, Bastila cried herself to sleep.

000000

_The wind rose, kicking up a torrent of dust that swept through the camp. Tent flaps blew open, and a torn Republic flag danced high in the wind above the camp. Bastila felt none of the dust, and easily was able to pierce the haze. Around her hundreds of dead-eyes soldiers stared blankly into flickering chemical fires. A few were attempting to cook weak, watered down rations. Each trooper wore standard Republic urban camouflage, but their uniforms were dirtied to the point of being unrecognizable. _

_A perimeter wall surrounded the remote camp, and beyond Bastila could see a ruined cityscape. The roads were littered with the dead, civilian, Republic and Mandelorian alike. Dozens of burned out tanks clogged the broken roadways. The perimeter wall itself was riddled with holes, and several sections had collapsed. A few sentries watched the surrounding city, high caliber sniper rifles ready to pick off straggling Mandelorians. A few tanks, Republic Goliath class tankhunters, hovered on barely functioning anti-gravity fields. The vehicles were so scuffed and battle worn Bastila was unable to make out their original colors. Rockcrete barricades had been erected in the collapsed wall sections, heavy guns guarding the approaches. The camp bore all the marks of suffering a long and terrible siege. One of the sentries called out to the camp, and everyone grew visibly excited. _

_The gate at the far end of the camp ground open, and a handful of figures stumbled in. There were less than twenty of them, and the Republic troops watched them march by in shock and horror. Several looked away, tears spilling from their eyes. _

_Revan led the ragged band of Jedi. All of the Jedi bore terrible wounds. Bastila herself covered her mouth as she watched. Several Jedi were missing limbs, and leaned against their fellows to keep from falling. Others were almost entirely wrapped in blood soaked bandages. Revan himself pressed his black gauntlet to a bloody tear in his armor. The Jedi limped with each step and winced. Bastila approached the phantom automatically, desperate to embrace this man. Her heart ached to see him so wounded. She passed through him and Bastila felt tears brim in her eyes. Hesitantly, the Republic troopers approached the tattered band to take the injured away. _

_Two men approached the battered Jedi. Malak was one, his eyes rimmed red and exhausted. His robes were little more than scraps of brown and black hanging from an armored body glove. The other was a Republic officer with close cropped graying hair and a red bionic eye. Revan and Malak embraced like lost brothers. _

"_It's so good to see you." Malak said at length, "When we heard Echo camp had fallen, I thought you had been killed." _

"_I got lucky." Revan sighed, "But a lot of our people didn't." _

"_Is this everyone?" the officer asked. Revan nodded sadly. _

"_We lost a lot in the city." He said, his tone hushed, "We numbered two thousand not twelve hours ago. So many dead…"_

"_We've been getting reports from all over the city." The officer sighed, "The fourth, seventh, eighth and tenth regiments have all been lost. The first armored division was ambushed late last night. There were no survivors. The Mandelorians may be defeated, but the remnants are still achieving an eight-to-one kill ratio" _

"_Even killing Mandelor himself did little to help us." Malak said as an after-thought. Revan pushed passed the two men, unable to look either in the eye. The flap of the command tent was thrown open by a young woman wearing the single dash of a lieutenant on her arm. The woman dashed to Revan, her features torn in desperation. _

"_Gida?" She gripped Revan by his shoulders, "Where's Gida?" Revan nodded to the survivors. _

"_I'm so sorry." He said quietly. The woman let go of the Jedi and took limp, robotic steps towards two of the more intact Jedi. Between the two warriors, they carried a dirty and blood stained stretcher. As the woman grew closer, she saw a pale blue body lying limp. Her steps quickened and she was soon sprinting as fast as she was able. _

"_Gida?" She slid to a halt as the two Jedi gingerly placed the stretcher on the ground. Bastila took slow steps towards the kneeling woman, dread rising in her chest. But she couldn't look away. She __**had**__ to see this. She had to know the whole story. The woman on the stretcher wore bloodied trooper fatigues, and a soiled bandage was wrapped tightly over her stomach. Even without seeing the wound, Bastila knew it was mortal. The lieutenant looked down at the wounded Twi'lek on the stretcher with tears in her eyes. The Twi'lek smiled, showing blood stained teeth. _

"_Hey beautiful." She managed and spat a wad of blood on the dirty ground. The human woman laughed despite herself, and captured the Twi'lek's cracked lips in a burning kiss. A heartbeat passed and the two women pulled apart. _

"_Hey yourself." The lieutenant said. She brushed her hand against the Twi'lek's smooth skin. "Don't you worry babe, we're going to get you all fixed up. You'll see."_

"_You could tell the doctor to hurry it up." Gida winced and clutched her stomach. The lieutenant looked up and screamed for a medic. Already the few remaining doctors were treating the survivors. The Twi'lek head rolled to one side and she stared dizzily at the sky. _

"_Hey come on, stay with me." The human gripped the Twi'lek's hands tightly. Bastila felt like her stomach was about to turn over. Tears were falling freely from her eyes. _

"_Lennia?" The Twi'lek suddenly exclaimed. _

"_I'm here Gida." The human cradled the Twi'lek, "I'm here." The Twi'lek gulped several times and looked hopelessly at the human. _

"_I love you so much." Gida said, her voice broken and fading, "So much." Lennia broke down in tears._

"_I love you too Gida." She smiled sadly, "With all my heart. Please don't leave me. We never saw Coruscant." _

"_Glittering towers…lights as far as the eye could see…" Gida managed, "So many happy faces…" The Twi'lek let out a long sigh and her green eyes closed. Her body went limp and her head fell to the side. Lennia's lower lip quivered and she shook her head. _

"_Gida? Gida, please…please…don't go…" the human rested her head on her lover's chest and let out a heart-breaking sob. Bastila stood on numb legs, staring down at the grieving woman with blank eyes. So much horror. So much loss. She turned to Revan. He had seen it all, and was expected to stand tall above it. Who wouldn't be broken after this war? She watched him, studying him carefully. The wind tossed his hair around carelessly, and she could see a soul-deep despair in his eyes. She didn't see a matchless Jedi-turned-General, or a heartless Sith Lord. All she saw was a man struggling under waves of despair. A tragic hero, doomed from the beginning. If anyone deserved to find some peace and happiness, it was him._

_Malak, Revan and the Republic officer watched the crying woman for several terrible, long moments. Malak folded his arms over his chest and looked at the ground. The officer was the first to approach Lennia and knelt by her. The human lunged at the officer and buried her head in his arms. The two Jedi looked on, helpless. It was Revan who turned away first. _

"_Revan?" Malak called to him, halting his friend before he could leave, "One more thing." Malak reached into his robes and pulled out a small black box, "A rep from the resistance arrived this morning." He held out the box, "This is for you. From the people." _

_Revan took the box with shaking, blood stained hands. Bastila watched the box trade hands, mesmerized. She approached Revan as he gently slid the red lace from the box, and pulled the top off. He let out an anguished gasp and picked something from the box. It was note, hand written on white parchment. Bastila read the words over Revna's shoulder and her heart tightened. _

"_What is it?" Malak asked after a moment. Revan turned to his friend, tears brimming in his eyes. _

"_The people are giving me an award." He said, his voice broken by sadness, "A title." Revan let the note go, and the wind carried it far away. It was soon lost in reaches of the city, never to be seen again. _

"_What title?" Malak asked. Revan reached into the box and took the last item there in his hand. It was a piece of gold, hanging from red lace. Bastila covered her mouth in shock. _

_An oak leaf._

"_Hero of Cheroth." Revan said hollowly. Crystal tears tore through the grime on his face, and dripped onto the broken road beneath him._

_Behind him, Lennia howled in anguish. _

"…_As if there is only one."_


	15. Ebon Hawk Prt IV Tatooine Prt I

_Hey everyone. I feel I must apologize for my laxity in updating. It's my first semester in Grad-School and I have had little free time. However, I owe it to you my readers, especially those who leave such kind reviews, to continue. _

_As a peace offering I'm posting two chapters today. I hope this makes it up to you, at least in part. I will endeavor to update more frequently and en masse. _

_Thank you for your patience and thank you for reading. I love you guys. _

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Alexander gagged on the bitter amber liquid and placed the shot-glass back on the counter. The lights of the Ebon Hawk's kitchen were dim. The rest of the ship was dark. It was nighttime so far as the crew could tell. And on the night before another star-map mission Alexander should have been asleep. His mind should be at complete peace. He should have someone in his arms. Someone soft, warm and beautiful. Someone he loved dearly. But she had rejected him, thrown him out after their tender displays of affection.

Alex poured himself another glass and swirled the dark liquid around for a moment. What had he done wrong? Where had he failed? She loved him, he knew it. She had said the words herself. Her sweet, honey-laced voice rang endless in his head.

"_Alex I love you." _

The words he had longed to hear for months now. Words that had been born in his dreams.

"_Alex I love you" _

The words had been ripped from him, torn away by Bastila in a moment of panic. And he would forgive her if she just asked. Alex knew how difficult this whole relationship was for her. She had not been raised the way he had been. She had not known her parents well. She had not dated during secondary school, had not had sex with classmates or military cadets. She had lived a life of complete denial. But she was still human, she could still care. So why was she so resistant? What was she so afraid of? What was she hiding?

Depression threatened to overwhelm him. Why couldn't she talk to him? They were partners, friends, the best of, if he was honest. There should be no secrets between them. He would tell her every detail of his life if asked. They had been through so much together. She had trained him in the art of Force usage, and trained alongside him when a Master had spare time. They had suffered so much together, seen so much horror and death. He loved her.

He sighed bitterly and shot back his drink. Love. What a terrible idea. Who would have thought a Jedi could love? She loved him too! She had admitted it! How dare she play with his emotions like this! Was she really this heartless!

"Alexander?" The voice was thick with an accent, and barely above a whisper. Alex turned to the shadows and a figure emerged slowly.

"Juhani, I thought you'd be asleep." He said harsher than he meant. The Cathar eyed the empty glass in his hand.

"How many of those have you had?" She demanded.

"Leave me alone, Juhani." He turned from her, "I'm not in the mood."

"No." She said firmly and approached, "I will not leave." She sat behind him and took the glass from his hand. He fought fruitlessly for a moment, but relented.

"I want to be alone." He said darkly.

"You and I both know that is not true." Juhani said, "You and I both know there is someone you want to be with."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Alex stood but a firm hand pulled him back down.

"Do not dare walk away from me, Alexander Stargaze." Juhani hissed through her teeth, "I know you well. I can see anger and fury hanging like a cloud over you."

"You're imagining things, Cathar." He spat at her. Her eyes widened slightly and she lashed out with her hand. The slap left both a red print on his face and five small cuts from her claws.

"Do not dare talk down to me." She hissed, "What is wrong with you? What has happened?"

"I said I didn't want to talk about it." Alex put a hand to his face but the blood was already drying up and the pain was all but gone. A moment of uncomfortable silence descended between them. Alex kept his sullen gaze on the floor while Juhani's fiery eyes burned holes in the back of his head.

"Bastila rejected you." Juhani whispered after a moment. It was not a question. The look Alexander gave her answered better than any words could. Juhani placed a hand on his shoulder, "I am truly sorry."

"Why would you be?" Alex hissed darkly, "You're a Jedi too. You should be reprimanding me."

"If you would like, I can." She smiled at him and poured a shot into his empty glass, "But this seems to be a more entertaining, if unorthodox, solution. Besides," She drank the entire glass and poured another, "Johlee is the long winded one. I have no speeches prepared. Only the ear of a friend." Alex smiled at this and retrieved a second shot-glass from the kitchen. Mission had brought an unseemly amount of alcohol onboard, and it did seem a waste to let it go un-drunk.

"To friendship then." Alex said after filling his glass again. Juhani smiled.

"Ja'. Friendship." She said and shot the drink back. It burned down her throat and she wondered what percentage this vintage was. Already the drink was giving her a buzz. Her cheeks felt flushed and there was pleasant warmth in her stomach. A memory flashed in her mind and she chuckled.

"What?" Alex laughed too, not getting the joke, if indeed there was one to get. But at his inebriation level and filled with a desire to be happy after Bastila, laughter came easy. Juhani waved his question away.

"Nothing, just a memory." She said and chuckled again.

"Well let me in on the secret." Alex said, "It's not fair you get to laugh and leave me in the dark."

"I was just remembering the last time I was drunk." She said and when Alex motioned for her to continue, she poured another glass and sighed, "It was so many years ago. I was still just a novice; barely fourteen winters old." Her mind raced back to those days. Clear rivers, tall green grass and beautiful mountains. "I trained for many years on the paradise world, Rhoel. There was a temple there, high in the mountains. One day, two other novices, Kendras and Miona, and I were out for a daily trial. The Masters were always pushing the novices to the peak of physical perfection and demanded nearly constant exercising. We were out for a run through the low-lands, and we were told that if we did not make it back to the Temple by nightfall the gates would be sealed until sunrise and we would be left to fend for ourselves."

"You didn't make it, did you?" Alex grinned.

"No." Juhani shook her head and giggled, "Like fools we had not stretched after our earlier workouts and our muscles were stiff and weak. We ran as fast as we dared, but alas, nightfall came and the Temple was sealed."

"What did you do?"

Juhani poured them each another glass. How many was this for her? She had not bothered to keep a count. Still, she figured it did not matter. There were no horny drunks or desperate adolescents to try to take advantage of her. She was safe, and that fact made her smile grow.

"Force cursed luck we had. It was the rainy season and a massive storm was set to ravage the mountains that night. We searched for hours for a way into the Temple, but it was sealed tight. It was Kendras who suggested we abandon the Temple until sunrise and seek shelter elsewhere." She paused and smiled at the memory. Alex smiled too; it was infectious. "Miona found the cave. It was high on the southern peaks, just beyond the Serenity Waterfalls. It was a Force miracle. We entered the cave and that is where we found…" She let the words fade and waved her glass in front of him with a smile. He took the hint and poured another glass.

"You found alcohol in a cave?" He asked.

"It was a stash, for privateers."

"Rum-runners." He nodded and chuckled, "You stumbled upon a rum-runner's brewery in the caves above a Jedi Temple?"

"Last place you would look, eh?" She swallowed her drink, "We each took a barrel. We had no idea how strong it was, or Force, even _what_ it was. But we stayed up all night, telling jokes and stories…and drinking. Poor Miona, Force bless her, but she could not hold her drink. She was hung-over for the next two days. Ever seen a hung-over Jedi trying to do a head-stand?" She laughed so hard, "It is not a pretty sight." Alex laughed with her; the entire mental image was ludicrous.

"What did the Masters say?" He asked when he had caught his breath.

"When the Temple opened in the morning, we staggered down, drunk, to greet our Masters. They knew we were drunk; we tried to conceal it, but it would have been obvious to a Newgussean swamp-slug how intoxicated we were."

"Did they punish you?"

"No. In fact we were…congratulated. We had never been meant to reach the Temple before nightfall. The Masters had intended for us to be trapped outside for a night, to test our mettle and courage. It was the last test; the final test as a novice. We passed, to say the least, even if they had not expected us to discover the cave. We were on the first transport off world to continue our training elsewhere." They both laughed. Juhani reached for the bottle at the exact time Alex did. Their hands met and the Cathar blushed under her fur.

"I apologize." She said, "I did not mean…"

"It's okay." Alex said, "We're friends."

"Ja'…friends…" Juhani mumbled and looked away. If Alex had heard her, he gave no sign. Instead he poured them each another glass.

"Gotta' say I'm jealous of you." He said after a moment. Juhani blinked in surprise.

"Jealous? Of me? How? Why?" She asked. Had she done something wrong? If anyone was jealous or angry it was her. Why was she just a friend? Again, Juhani blinked. That was not the thought of a Jedi. She had been trained better than this. Alexander was a friend and a friend only. He was attractive, sure, and charismatic. He had courage and intelligence in ample supply. And he truly cared about his friends. What woman or man would not want his…_attention_? But he had chosen Bastila…that stuck-up Jedi who had…

"I never had the official Jedi training." He said after a moment, "I went through the crash-course. I never really bonded with any of the other Jedi. I was under too much pressure to master tactics and abilities as quickly as possible. I feel like you and Bastila, and even Johlee had these…stereotypical Jedi careers. Not that I mean to trivialize anything you've been through. I just…wish…once this mission is over, I won't have anyone to go back to. This crew; you guys are all I have. If…when the crew disperses…what then?" He knocked back another shot and shook his now blurred vision, "I apologize. I'm drunk and I'm not making sense and I'm babbling…and…" Juhani pushed a finger to his lips to silence him.

"I understand, Alex…" Juhani looked away, her cat-eyes glazed over, "I know how difficult being a Jedi can be truly be. I have suffered and made sacrifices."

"How have you suffered?" Alex asked, his voice hushed. The Cathar turned to him and he was surprised to see unshed tears in her eyes. Her mouth opened and closed several times as her mind tried to piece together how she could explain. She could hear screams in her head; a mother crying, a father roaring in pain and anger. The hard cracks of las-rifles and the deafening boom of assault landers and aerial bombers.

"You know what happened to my people's homeworld?" She hesitated, "During the Mandalorian War?" Alex thought for a moment and nodded gravely.

"Conquered." He said, "Destroyed. Virus-bombed, if I recall correctly." Juhani nodded and breathed in deep.

"Ja'…destroyed." She looked into his eyes and he saw old fear and new anger, "I was but a child, a stripling when Cathar was destroyed. Barely two weeks old…I should not remember, I was too young. But I do…oh Alex, Force protect me, I do remember." She breathed out these last words, terrified. Alex quickly pulled her into a gentle hug and she accepted. "I remember screams and fire…and war…and...and pain."

"Did you lose your parents during the evacuation?" Alex whispered in her ear. Juhani hissed silently at the warmth his words carried. She waited before answering; the warmth this human radiated was intoxicating. How could Bastila have turned this down? What madness drove that silly female from this man's arms?

Moments passed and Juhani pulled away and smiled gratefully.

"No…no, my father and mother lived…for a time." She sniffed a little and looked away, "We found a new world. It…it was not a better world. I…I am sorry. I cannot." Juhani pulled away from him and stood to leave. Alex stopped her with a firm but gentle hand on her arm.

"Juhani, wait. This is important to you." He paused and she breathed in deeply, shaking, "I can see it in your eyes. It's simmering, just below the surface. What happened? Talk to me." Fury suddenly filled the Cathar. Memories long forgotten came unbidden to her mind. She placed a hand to her forehead, desperate to block out the images and sounds.

_I bought you, Cathar. You call me Master now_… Juhani felt the echo of shackles around her neck…

_Close your eyes, Juhani. No matter what you hear, do not open your eyes_…Her mother screamed, her body violated again and again…

_Work faster slave!_...Blinding pain form whips lashed across her back…

_What have we here? A Cathar slave. Back that ass up and let me get a feel_…She felt sick. Her body used and violated by a gang of Noble youths…

_Be strong, Juhani…always…be…stro_….Her father died in her arms, his chest rent open, his ribcage splayed.

_You are nothing! You will always be nothing! You are inhuman trash! A xeno!_...The shouts and jeers of every human on Taris. Young and old, rich and poor. They hated her; the Galaxy hated her.

She turned to face him, eyes alight and pupils dilated. She took a heavy step towards him and Alex involuntarily took a step back.

"You want to know about me? About what happened to my childhood?" She hissed the words out, "How my father was murdered and how my mother whored herself to nobles just to feed me? You want to hear of the rapes, the beatings…You…You want to know how the Sith destroyed my homeworld?"

"The…Sith?" Alex blinked, "But Cathar was destroyed by the Mand-"

"Hist!" She growled, "I do not speak of Cathar. I speak of a different world; a world of light and dark, a world governed by the corrupt and built on the backs of slaves. A world where the Upper-Hive elite looked down on us non-humans! We Under-Hive scum, barely surviving on the scraps they leave us. We were play things; toys to be used and discarded. A world reduced to ash and rubble by Malak…the Sith whore-son destroyed my world. To. Get. To. You." Her eyes narrowed and she bared her teeth. The color drained from Alex's face.

"No…you can't mean…" He looked deep into her eyes and his gut tightened, "Taris."

"Do not speak its name!" Juhani lunged at him, clawed hands wrapping around his throat. The two Jedi toppled to the ground, knocking a chair over as they fell. Juhani hissed in anger and squeezed with all her might. "Taris was my homeworld! The Sith destroyed Taris to get to you, and your _precious_ Bastila!"

"Juhani…I…" Alex gasped for breath.

"Do not speak!" She hissed, "I need someone to blame. I will not ignore these feelings any longer. If it had not been for you and your _lover_, the Sith would have left Taris in peace. You rescued one Jedi and condemned billions of innocents to the torch! The Upper-Hive deserved it, but the Lower-Hive was innocent! I see the way you two look at each other, and I know what you say about me behind my back. You think my emotions control me. You dare to pass judgment over me?" Her eyes were filled with sorrow, anguish and uncontrolled rage. Her mind was moving slowly; a reaction to the alcohol she told herself. She felt darkness settle upon her soul. Something took root in her, smothered her with its hate and sorrow.

"Juhani..stop…" Alex tried to wrestle out from under her, but the Cathar battle-haze was legendary for its strength and ferocity.

A seductive voice whispered in her mind.

_Take him…he's yours...why should you be alone…you who lost everything to war and cruelty…take what you want…take him…_

"You would choose her over me?" Juhani lowered her face to inches from his, "Your precious, perfect Bastila. She takes my homeworld from me and then lords you over me, taunting me. I _will_ take something from her. It is not fair she should get everything, and I must suffer with scraps. Not again! Not like Taris! Not this time!" She closed the distance between them and captured his lips in a painful, burning kiss. Her teeth bit into his lower lip, spilling his rich blood over her white fangs. Juhani gripped Alex's hair, pulling him closer and ravaging his lips. Passion grew and Alex's swaying mind shut down. He kissed back, gripping the back of her shirt tightly. He could feel her taught muscles contracting under his attention and he felt a growl in his throat from her. A moment passed before Alex threw his weight to one side and flipped her on her back. Juhani gasped with laughter and shock.

"Take me Alexander Stargaze." She hissed in his ear. Alex's mind raced. This was wrong, so very wrong. This was Juhani he was with; the Cathar from the meadow. The firebrand turned Jedi. He shouldn't…couldn't be with her…But…why shouldn't he? Bastila had thrown him out of her room; denied him. She had shown him love and faster than light pulled it from him. What did he owe her other than sleepless nights and heartbreak? Why couldn't he have this? Alex kissed Juhani so hard it hurt. All his pent-up passion and lust, directionless and burning, was expressed in his kiss. This wasn't Bastila he was with, but he didn't want it to be. Bastila had tossed him aside, broken him. The pain was absolute and it drove his lips onto Juhani's over and over and over.

A shadow engulfed his mind. Its presence weighed him down and he felt smothered by it. Insidious voices whispered in his ear.

_Bastila betrayed you…cast you out…why not have Juhani…you owe the Jedi nothing…take her and be free…_

Alex ravaged Juhani's neck, biting, sucking and licking the soft fur there. The Cathar purred and the sound drove him insane with lust. His lips found her's again and she pulled at his hair and raked her hands over his chest.

_Do it _

The words echoed in the Jedis skulls. Passion blurred their thinking. Juhani ripped the shirt from Alex's chest and his hands pawed her breasts, pinching and pulling. Juhani gasped in pleasure and bit hard into his ear. Never had she imagined anything could feel this…

_DO IT_

Alex growled as Juhani licked down his bare chest. She ran her tongue over his abs and nibbled his flesh. Her tongue was barbed and it felt like sand-paper as it teased him. In an instant her tongue was in his mouth, struggling for dominance over his. Never had he imagined anything could feel this…

_Give in_

Wrong. It felt wrong.

Clarity suddenly exploded in the two Jedis minds. As one, they pulled apart, gasping for breath and staring at each other in horror. Juhani glanced at Alex clawed chest and Alex saw one of his hands was still on Juhani's breast. Alex pulled away and stumbled to his feet. His mind ached and his vision swam.

"…what have we done?" Juhani breathed, "What has happened to us?" Alex turned to face her, his eyes wide. She stood and straightened her robes.

"Our anger…and our sorrow…Force protect us, we were almost overwhelmed." He looked away, ashamed, "I almost gave in…I wanted to, so badly…but I couldn't."

"Nor I." Juhani looked away too, her face burning with shame and embarrassment, "The…the…" She struggled with the words, fear gripping her, "The…Darkside…Goddesses above, Alexander, we almost fell…I almost fell again…"

The two Jedi stared into nothingness for the longest time, each lost in their regrets.

Alex put a hand to his throbbing head. How could he have been so blind? Bastila had tried to warn him, tried to convince him emotions were dangerous to the Jedi. Perhaps emotions ran deeper in the Jedi and that required constant vigilance. It had never been like this when he was with Bastila. Their connection, their _love_ kept them grounded, kept them alive and sane. This…this mistake with Juhani was the exact opposite. He could have given in, and he would have lost his mind. But with Bastila, there was no "giving in". There was no guilt, no shame and no hesitation. There was simply their feelings and their desire to be happy together.

Maybe Bastila had ended their relationship permanently. Maybe he was insane to still love her. But he was going to try again. Alex steeled his resolve and knew what he had to do. He knew what he wanted. He would be patient. Maybe it was a lost cause. Maybe he was the unstoppable force to her unmovable object. But if Bastila felt a small percentage of what he felt, she would come to him. Calmness flooded his body, and for the first time in days, he felt at peace.

0000000

How could she have been so stupid? She had never been good enough to be a Jedi. Emotions ran too deep in the Cathar, too deep in her. Juhani tasted blood in her mouth, and felt sick when she realized it was not her own. Her friend, one of the few she had ever made, bled from wounds she had inflicted in a lust-crazy. He who had spared her life in the grove, he who had pulled from the edge of the abyss…he had put so much faith in her. And she had failed him. Worse, she was ravaged his body, taken her pent up anger , jealousy and despair out on his flesh.

"Force damn me…" Juhnai whispered as Alex winced putting his shirt back on. His gaze fell on her and he offered her a sympatric smile.

"I've had worse." He said, "I'll recover."

"What…what now?" Juhani whispered, "Should…should I leave when we reach Tatooine?"

"Why would you leave?" Alex asked, puzzled.

"Look at what I have done!" Juhani exclaimed, "I broke the vows of the Order. I tore into my commanding officer with tooth and claw…I betrayed Bastila's trust and…I betrayed you." She turned from him, "Your faith in me was misplaced, Alexander. I was never meant to be a Jedi." Alex put a hand on her shoulder and she slowly, painfully, turned to face him. Her eyes spoke volumes of her shame.

"What happened tonight was a mistake." Alex held up a hand when Juhani made to interrupt, "But it was a necessary mistake. Our emotions got the best of us. Your anger and my…sorrow. We now know what it means to struggle with those emotions, and what will happen if we fail. But we will fight against them. We will not let our emotions control us ever again."

"I do not think I can be emotionless." Juhani whispered after a moment.

"Nor I." Alex said solemnly, "It may be a fault in us. Or it may be our greatest strength. Without sadness how can we know happiness? Without your anger how will you ever know right from wrong?" He took her hands in his and smiled gently, "I have faith in you, Juhani. I know you will be a great Jedi Master one day, and you'll be a little firebrand the entire time."

"Such wisdom from one so young…" Juhnai shook her head, "I will not let you down, Alex. Never again. I will use my emotions to better myself and the Galaxy. This I swear to you!"

"We will bear the burden together. You keep an eye on me, and I'll keep one on you." Alex studied her face for a moment and she nodded.

"Always." She said and hesitated. She held out a hand, "Friends?" Alex chuckled and pulled her into a hug.

"Friends." The two stayed like that for a long time. Juhani felt reassurance flooding her. She would prove herself to the Jedi, to him. She would make Alex proud. She would be the greatest Jedi she could be. She would use her fury and anger and give them purpose. And if she felt overwhelmed, she would come to him. Only as a friend, but that's all she wanted. That's all she needed.

"Come on, let's get some sleep." Alex said after a moment. Juhani nodded and the two Jedi silently made their way through the shadowed corridors of the Ebon Hawk. They held hands as they walked, but it was for comfort not romance. When they reached Juhani's room, she turned to face her friend and supporter.

"I will never forget this night, Alexander." She whispered, "I will never forget what you showed me." Alex smiled and gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead.

"Neither will I." He whispered back, "Goodnight Juhani." With that the Cathar entered her room and silently closed the door. Alex remained for a moment before turning down the corridor towards his room.

0000000

The shadows of night concealed many things. That night, in the halls of the Ebon Hawk, a female Jedi watched her two best friends embrace and kiss. They whispered to each other and she could see the happiness on both their faces.

_I will never forget this night…_

Bastila silently closed her door. Tears fell from her eyes. She felt betrayed. She felt sick. She felt angry. She felt hate.

Something dark took root in Bastila's soul. Anger and sorrow began to fill her. In the distance, Bastila thought she could hear voices.

_Voices in the void…_

0000000

When morning came, Bastila was still wide awake. Her blood-shot eyes had long since run out of tears and her throat ached from hundreds of sobs. She had blocked out her Force-bond with Alexander while she wept. She tried to keep the images from her mind, but she failed. She tried to tell herself she had misunderstood the moment, that she didn't know the entire story. Alexander couldn't have…_been_ with Juhani.

_Why not…you've seen how she looks at him…_

Bastila ignored the voice in her head. She knew Alexander and she knew Juhani. True on Kashyyyk Juhani had expressed an interest in him, and maybe she had caught Juhani staring at Alexander for too long…but that didn't mean…

With sinking dread Bastila realized it may have occurred. She had confessed her love to Alex and thrown him out. Maybe he had sought comfort with the Cathar. Maybe Juhnai had stumbled upon the brooding Jedi and one thing had led to another. Perhaps Bastila's loss was Juhnai's gain.

_Betrayal…_

No! Bastila clutched at her head and forced the voices away. Juhnai was her friend; a sister by another name. And Alexander was…Bastila didn't know where she stood with the young Jedi but she knew she still loved him. She was still deathly afraid of having an actual relationship with him, still afraid of what he was deep in his soul. Who could say how much of Revan Sedire still lurked in his soul, just out of his reach.

And now this paranoia… How much was she expected to take? She had the fate of the Galaxy in her hands, the love for a reformed Sith Lord in her heart, the harsh expectations of her Masters and now a fear that her friends were having an affair.

Was this what Revan had felt? This overwhelming responsibility…this Galactic burden. She had seen the despair and hopelessness in his eyes in her dreams. She knew how much Revan had suffered during the war. The weight of the Galaxy had been on his shoulders and he had fallen. How could Bastila expect any different with her burden. Would she fall too?

A knock at her door brought Bastila back to the now. A single flair of hope entered her heart. She raced to the door. She wanted to see Alex. She needed him right now. She was scared of her own future and only he could offer her hope.

But that hope died in the cheery blue face on Mission Vao. The Twi'lek made to greet Bastila but the words died in her throat at the sight of the Jedi.

"Blast, what happened to you?" Mission gasped, "You look awful." Bastila glanced at her mirror and was shocked at her reflection. Her face was taught and drawn, her hair was a mess and her eyes were bloodshot from crying.

"I…bad night." Bastila turned from the teen, "Is breakfast ready?"

"Uh…uh, yeah. Big Z made meat-shanks." Mission paused, "Bas, are you sure you're okay? You…look…uh…"

"I'm fine Mission." Bastila refused to face the Twi'lek, afraid she would see through the lie. A moment passed and Mission nodded slowly and left. The door closed behind Bastila and she sighed. Moments passed and the sounds of Mission's footsteps faded. She felt Alex attempt to re-open the Force-Bond, but she refused.

Bastila lashed out with her Force powers and cracked the mirror. Her image was distorted into a thousand fragments. Sighing in despair Bastila set about the slow task of dressing in her armor for the coming mission. She could do nothing else.

00000000

Tatooine had not always been a desert world. Once, thousands of years ago, it had been a lush fertile paradise world. Rivers criss-crossed the land, spreading their life giving waters to every corner of the green world. Trees grew big and strong, the harvests were plentiful and the planet's first inhabitants, the Kumugah, prospered. Life was not easy, as a planet full of predators was never easy; but at least it was fair. An honest tribesman could have a hot meal at the end of the day, and a loving family to return to.

But like all worlds, war took its toll. A protracted and bitter war for freedom led to the planet's eventual glassing, and the death of almost every life form. The world would never recover. Where once Tatooine was filled with lush jungles and vast grasslands, now it was a barren world of cracking rocks, endless salt plains and continent wide sandstorms that scoured the land.

Life for any creature more advanced than rock mold was a bitter struggle for survival. Water, one of the few universal life giving elements, was fought over with the same desperation and intensity that any other world would put in money, precious stones or love. Here on Tatooine, day-to-day survival depended on how brutal you were willing to be. Here on Tatooine, the only justice was the kind you earned at the muzzle of a blaster. Here on Tatooine, even the strongest and most cunning crumbled after a single blazing day and freezing night.

The Ebon Hawk made it approach over Anchorhead in a slow, easy manner. Carth Onasi studied the flickering reading on his display screens.

"Plasma coils reading in the green, APC is online." He spoke the words more to himself than the two Jedi in the cockpit with him. For some reason the tension between his friends was as thick as starship platting. At breakfast Bastila had spoken but two words to the crew. She had obviously taken pains to avoid Alexander's gaze and had even shoved him out of the way as she stormed out of the kitchen. Something was eating at Bastila's already bitchy attitude.

"Landing gears deployed. Aaaannnnddddd…" The Ebon Hawk lurched briefly as it touched down in the starport. The entire ship groaned as hydraulic stabilizers kicked in and steam exploded from nozzles and grills all along the starship's hull. "We're down."

"Good work, Carth." Alex said, "Go gear up." The pilot nodded and quickly left the cockpit. Unwilling to be alone with Alexander, Bastila made to leave to. She was stopped by a firm body taking a hard step in front of her.

"Out of my way, Stargaze." She said darkly.

"If you have a problem with me, you need to just say so." Alex's voice was firm, but compassionate, "You're no use to this crew with such a bitter attitude."

_Bitter…_

The voice rang in her head again, mocking her. He dared call her bitter. He, who had sought comfort with Juhani in the same night he had tried to get with her. He had the nerve to call her bitter. It was like he was mocking her, trying to pretend nothing had happened.

"There is nothing wrong with my attitude." She sneered, "Unlike some of us, I have some self control."

"Says the woman who said she loved me first." Alex didn't see the punch that knocked him back. The Jedi staggered into a console and felt blood run down his cheek. Anger flared in Bastila's eyes.

"Just stop Alex." Bastila sighed, "Just leave me alone. I…I can't…won't do this." She looked down at her hand and saw the blood there. His blood. Bastila wiped her hand clean on her armor, smearing the green plate with red.

A voice laughed in her mind.

This was insane. Her jealousy had just led her to draw Alex's blood. This was not how a Jedi acted. A Jedi never struck in anger. A Jedi did not give into jealousy. Bastila felt shame burning in her chest and without looking back at her partner, she left.

"I must go." She said quickly. Alex made to reach out to her but stopped short. She looked in his eyes for the briefest of moments and turned away.

How could he have been with Juhani? Why had she turned him away after she confessed her love to him? Bastila's mind raced and she fought back tears of…what? Was this anger? Sorrow? Rage or jealousy? Or was it a mix of everything. Bastila couldn't tell.

Alex watched her go and rubbed his aching jaw. What was it with female Jedi and hitting his face? He sighed; he had expected a reaction out of Bastila, but not this violent. Not like this. But he loved her, and he would be patient. There was anger in her; a lot of it. But he also saw regret in her. Sooner or later the regret would give way to need and she would come back to him.

The pitter-patter of little feet drew his attention back to the world around him. Sasha came running in, her face split in a bright smile. He envied her that; she was so innocent. Even with whatever she had been through, she was always smiling. Would that he could be like that…

"Ba'asha no gasha." The girl spoke in her broken dialect. Alex sighed and took the girl's hand. He led her through the ship to the main room and found Mission Vao sitting on the couch. She held a portable game-system in her hand and was enthralled in whatever fantasy she was playing.

"Mission, let Sasha play." Alex said with a tight grin. Mission shot up.

"Oh you little snitch!" She said to the giggling girl, "No way man, she played all yesterday! It's my turn! It's my device; I can play when I want."

"Mission, you're trying to compete with a ten year old." Alex put his fingers on the ridge of his nose, "Just let her play for now. She's leaving soon."

"Fine." Mission held out the game-system to Sasha. The girl took it with a squeal and just started playing where Misson left off. The Twi'lek huffed and crossed her arms.

"This is such poodoo." She mumbled. She sat next to the girl but her pout was blissfully ignored by the gaming girl. Alex chuckled and watched Sasha play for a moment. Unbidden a vision of the girl walking hand-in-hand with him and Bastila down a city street appeared in his mind. Alex smiled at the idea and stored it away in his list of dreams. He would remember this moment, that much was certain.

A large figure entered the room and Alex grimaced. Canderous wore a dented battle-worn suit of silver plate armor. His laser carbine was strapped to his back, at his hip was a holstered pistol and a hacking blade, the kind of weapon found in the hands of a jungle world primitive, was strapped to his leg.

Alex motioned to the Mandalorian and he led him to a shadowed hallway, out of ear-shot of Mission and Sasha.

"Canderous, about the girl." Alex whispered. The Mandalorian chuckled.

"That uppity princess-bitch convinced you to keep her, eh? I knew it." He shook his head, "Pathetic. You're like a whimpering pup."

"Watch it Canderous, or I might just let Juhani slash you up good and proper." The two grinned at the threat. Alex and Canderous enjoyed a dangerous game of top-dog. The Mandalorian was always testing Alex's limits, always questioning his leadership. But it kept Alex alert and for that he was thankful.

"No, a man is meeting us to take the girl to her father." Alex said slowly, making sure Canderous understood his meaning.

"Wait, the father has not come himself? He sent a second to retrieve his own daughter?" Canderous asked. His disbelief quickly faded to suspicion.

"My thoughts exactly." Alex whispered back, "This whole thing feels wrong. I want you with me when we meet this guy. Keep an eye open but don't look like you're trying to keep an eye open." The Mandalorian nodded slowly and his face was set in his trademark frown. Without another word Canderous stalked off, most likely to get his biggest, loudest and meanest looking guns.

00000000

Alex led his party down the landing ramp of the Ebon Hawk. Bastila was with him of course, but if anything she seemed more volatile than before. Juhani followed at a respectable distance, all too aware of the burning gazes she was receiving from her female friend. The Cathar prayed to the Gods above Bastila knew nothing about what had occurred between her and Alexander. For everyone sake, she hoped Bastila would remain ignorant. Last was Canderous. The veteran studied the docking bay with a predator's gaze, making note of every individual, every camera and auto-turret and the best possible cover if a firefight broke out. All this he did in the time it took him to touch down on the sandy floor. He may not like the girl Sasha, but if she was indeed a victim of Mandalorian _slavers_ than he would do his job.

The Mandalorian sneered at the idea. Slavers! His people were not slavers. They did not steel children and assault farm worlds. They were conquerors, crusaders. Gene-forged warrior borns! They brought entire civilizations to their knees or utterly destroyed them. To kill the unarmed was ignoble. Debased. If there was a double-cross waiting he would teach the slavers what it meant to be a true Mandalorian.

"There." Alex said and nodded towards a Twi'lek at the far end of the bay, "See anyone with him? Any backup?"

"The trandoshan to the left. Ten meters. He's pretending to work on that accelerator core." Canderous gave the slightly nod of his head, "And the gran on the far wall. Say, twenty-six meters."

"Keep an eye out." Alex said to everyone. Canderous and Juhani nodded but Bastila merely scoffed. For the hundredth time that day he tried to reopen the Force-bond but found her mind as hard as rock, and half as likeable. She glared at him, knowing full well what he was attempting to do. Alex shrugged and strode over to the Twi'lek contact with an easy, confident stride.

"You are Alexander Stargaze?" The green Twi'lek eyed the Jedi and Mandalorian with a trained eye. Instantly Alex didn't like this man. They way he carried himself; this Twi'lek wasn't an honest man, that much Alex was certain about. A quick glance at both Juhani and Canderous showed they shared his thoughts. Bastila refused to meet his eyes, but she was a bright girl. Alex trusted her to know his thoughts without a prompt. Out of the corner of his eye Alex saw Canderous unlatch the holster of his custom Mandalorian plasma pistol.

"Who's asking?" Alex asked carefully. The Twi'lek understood the meaning and the slimy smile fell from his face.

"I am Lur Arka Sulas." He gave a mock bow, throwing one hand out to the side and kept the other on his chest, "I represent a very concerned citizen on Dantooine. Rundil ot' Sulem. His ranch has had considerable difficultly with Mandalorian raiders for many, many years."

"I am sorry to hear that." Alex kept his tone neutral. The Twi'lek blinked.

"Yes, well, it seems his daughter was kidnapped many years ago and she had not been found." The Twi'lek smiled a crooked smile. Alex wanted to punch the smugness from his face, "Until now I believe."

"Oh?"

"Enough games, Jedi." Sulas snapped. Alex's companions stiffened but as Alex made no movement, they kept their tongues in check, "I know you have the girl I seek. I am here to retrieve her, for her father."

"How can I know you're telling the truth?" He asked.

"Her name is Sasha. She is blonde and has green eyes." Sulas shook his head, "And if she was indeed kidnapped by raiders, it is likely she speaks Mandalorian. She was just a child after all." Alex looked at his companions. Canderous and Juhani shrugged. Bastila only glared at him with undisguised anger. A moment passed and Alex motioned to the Ebon Hawk.

There in the shadow of the starship three figures emerged. One was another Twi'lek, her eyes covered in biker goggles. Another was a grim-faced human with twin pistols strapped to his legs. The last was the little girl in question. Sasha. Their loveable stowaway.

Without thinking the little girl ran over to Alex and embraced him. When she saw Sulas looking at her with barely controlled hunger, she hid behind Alex's leg.

"You are certainly older than I expect, but yes you are the girl I seek." Sulas smiled at Sasha.

"You're a bounty hunter." Carth stated. He eyed the Twi'lek coldly. Sulas clicked his tongue before answering.

"When the job calls for it." He allowed, "Luckily this one did not." Sulas turned to Sasha, "You will come with me."

"Yooba an nuba?" Sasha squeaked out. Sulas chuckled.

"I see. A language barrier." He clicked his tongue again, "How tiresome." Alex knelt down by Sasha and embraced her.

"**He will take you back to your father.**" Alex spoke to the girl in Mandalorian. Sasha shook her head.

"**I not like him."** She stammered back. Alex smiled sadly at this.

"**I don't either, but he's going to take you back home. Back to your parents**."

"**I want stay. Here. Let Sasha stay**." The girl cried silently. Alex's companions, save Canderous, seemed touched by the little girl. Even Bastila allowed her grimace to falter for a moment.

"**I can't. I'm not your father and my life is too dangerous for you. He will take you someplace safe**." He reached into an armored pocket and pulled out a small silver disk. It was decorated with a sun carving and Sasha took it from his grasp in an instant.

"**Pretty**." Was all she said.

"**To remember us by**." He kissed her forehead, "**Goodbye Sasha**." With that the Jedi stood and stepped out of the way. Sulas approached the girl and offered his hand. Sasha looked at Alex and he smiled at her and motioned for her to take it. She hesitated but after glancing at the small coin, she did.

"My thanks Jedi." Sulas said, "You have made my job that much easier."

"You mean we have helped reunite a family." Bastila finally spoke. Alex didn't say anything and let Sulas squirm for a moment.

"Yes, of course." He said, "Come child, we must go." Sasha threw one last glance at the Jedi before following the Twi'lek.

"Hey!" Alex called after them, "Out of curiosity, why didn't her father come in person? It is his daughter after all." Sulas looked lost for a moment.

"I uh…didn't ask." He said, "I suspect he was busy." He quickly turned and led Sasha out of the hanger.

"Too busy for his own daughter?" Carth asked, "Anyone else find that a bit odd?" Alex retrieved a metal cylinder from his belt and handed it to Canderous.

"Take this. You'll need it." He said darkly. Canderous nodded and twisted the top. A series of numbers and reading appeared on a small black screen.

"A tracker?" Carth asked, "What are we tracking?"

"If only the Republic had more pilots like you, maybe we wouldn't have lost the war." Canderous sneered, "Wise up, Onasi. That man was a slave-trader."

"We just gave a little girl to a slaver?" Juhani gasped, anger boiling over, "Alex how could-"

"He did it so we could track her back to the slave-market, Juhani." Bastila suddenly snapped. Her jealousy drove her to stand toe-to-toe with the Cathar, "Now we can end their entire operation." Her eyes narrowed and she whispered so only Juhani could hear her, "Mind your place, Juhani."

The Cathar growled back, her teeth shining in the bright sunlight. A moment passed and the two Jedi broke apart.

"When were you going to tell me this?" Carth asked, angered, "I don't like people keeping secrets from me."

"Chill man." Mission interjected, "We'll get her back." The young Twi'lek hesitated, "We will right?" Alex nodded to Canderous.

"Of course we will." He said, "Canderous, take Carth and Mission with you. Find Sasha and if things get too heated, call us and we'll bring the Jedi's wrath down on the slavers." The party snickered at this. Well, everyone except Bastila. She was backing to glaring needles in the back of Alex's head.

When the Twi'lek, pilot and Mandalorian left Juhani approached Alex.

"Why am I not going with them?" She whispered, "I…know slavers well. I may have been of use."

"Do you trust yourself not to lose your temper if they do find the slave-market?" Alex asked, already knowing the answer. The Cathar shook her head slowly and back away.

"No…no, you are right." Juhnai breathed, "If need be we will deal with the slavers. Until then I must be patient."

"Are you two finished?" Bastila suddenly snapped, "Am I the only one who remembers Malak is still wagging war with the Republic?"

"Of…of course." Juhani stammered, briefly put off, "Shall we?"

The three Jedi left the hanger and entered Anchorhead proper. It was unmercifully hot and the sun blazed high in the sky. Despite the heat the streets were crowded with food vendors, hunters, traders and vagrants. Here a man chased a clan of Jawas away from his expensive speeder. There a bothan haggled with a dried fruit vendor over the pricing of some sort of bushel of green fruits. And there was dust. Oh Force above, there was dust. Bastila put a hand over her mouth and coughed roughly. The dust smelled of sweat, dung and salt. It was a difficult smell; one that Bastila was sure never to forget.

The three Jedi made their way through the crowds and lines. Just when it looked like they would be clear to the gates into the desert, a woman stepped in front of Bastila.

"Excuse me…" The Twi'lek took a close look at Bastila and smiled brightly, "It is you Bastila! Oh, it's so good that you came! You've grown so much." The woman embraced Bastila in a fierce hug. Bastila was shocked and could sense the party's amusement at her awkward behavior. She heard Alexander snicker but she refused to meet his eyes. Her anger was still livid and she pushed the Twi'lek away.

"I am sorry, Miss, but do I know you?" Bastila eyed the Twi'lek coldly.

"Oh, yes. I served on many expeditions with your father and mother. She used to show me holos of you before…well, before you left." The Twi'lek smiled, lost in memory, "Such a cute face."

"I am very busy." Bastila snapped, "Do you have a point?"

"Bastila!" Alex exclaimed, "Don't be rude." She glared at him and much to her surprise, he rose to the challenge. Their eyes met and a silent, millisecond long war was fought. Bastila relented; his eyes still burned with passion and love. Her anger couldn't compete with that.

"I did not mean to take up so much time." The Twi'lek woman seemed oblivious to the Jedi duel that had just taken place, "I just wanted to thank you for coming so quickly. Your mother was worried she wasn't going to be able to contact you. I'm glad she finally did."

"My mother tried to contact me…Wait, my mother is here?" Bastila interrupted, "Here? On Tatooine? Now?"

"Of course." The woman seemed surprised, "You came to help her, right? With her condition?" The color seemed to drain from the young Jedi's face. Bastila involuntarily reached out and took Alexander's hand. It was a reflex; her body needed his comfort before her mind knew it. He squeezed and Bastila was too shocked to do anything but squeeze back.

"Condition?" Bastila stammered, "What condition? Is my father here too? Is he helping her?"

"Oh my stars…" The Twi'lek gasped, "You didn't know…I am so sorry. I did not see your father. But…" the Twi'lek reached out and placed a hand on Bastila's shoulder.

"Bastila, dear, your mother is dying."


	16. Tatooine Prt II

This was ridiculous. She was a Jedi, a Force-gifted warrior chosen for her raw power. She had faced down Sith Force-soldiers, battle droids, insane Selkaths and even monsters from her darkest imaginations. She had openly confessed her love for a man she knew was war-criminal, and she loved him still. Yet here is was a door that defeated her. Not an armored gate of some legendary fortress, bristling with auto-turrets and plasma shields. Not a reinforced blast door of a star-cruiser. Not even a bared door with a childish "No Girls Allowed" sign of some local boys youth club. No, a simple plasteel door, unlocked and inviting. Painted in a faded yellow pigment, worn and rusted with time and howling desert winds. A bar's door. But in Bastila's mind it loomed large; it seemed larger than the entire world. Larger than anything she had ever seen. Its shadow fell over her, consuming and suffocating her.

A hand brushed against hers and she flinched. She looked over at her companion, the man she was hopelessly in love with. His features were written with sympathy and concern. He knew even without reading her mind how difficult this was for her. Their eyes met and for the briefest of moment, Bastila let the walls down and their minds connected again.

It was like fire and water condensed into one pure thought. Her fear was warmed and soothed, as if Alex was wrapping a blanket around her mind. But her anger, supplied by her fear, was cooled and calmed. In one split second, she felt a wave of reassuring calmness overwhelm her. She felt his love for her and she basked in it. How could she ever deny this? Why would she ever want to? This was _bliss_. Bastila smiled, and the moment was lost.

False memories and images of him cradling Juhani burst into her mind. She saw his lips on Juhnai, and heard the Cathar growl his name. Bastila turned from him, an all too familiar anger welling up inside her. She closed the Force-bond and Alexander flinched at the sudden, harsh action.

The door to the cantina ground open and a drunk rodian stumbled out. From inside Bastila could smell carcinogen smoke, alcohol, and the perfume of poll-dancers. The rodian spat a wad of goo on the ground.

"Charming" Bastila said dismissively.

"Hurr, spend ten minutes with that blasted woman and my bowl movements will seem like heaven." The rodian slurred. All three Jedi winced.

"I didn't need that mental image." Alex sighed.

"Ja', I could have lived without knowing that." Juhani managed. The rodian left in a huff, mumbling to himself.

"He must have been speaking to my mother." Bastila sighed more to herself than her Jedi companions, "Wonderful. She's hitting the bottles again. Wish I could say I'm surprised."

"Bas, you okay?" Alex whispered. She turned to him and saw only Juhani ravaging his lips, taking off his clothes and having him. She turned away and attempted to force the images from her mind. She didn't respond, she just moved into the cantina.

Bastila pushed her way through some crowds; mostly drunk losers drooling over Twi'lek sex-dancers. Juhani too ignored the lustful looks she received. Alex paused for a moment, watching a particularly flexible dancer. Glares from both Jedi set him in motion again. Bastila saw her mother through the crowds in an instant. She was at a booth in the far corner. She was alone. Bastila approached with robotic, stiff strides.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" the woman asked when Bastila stood next to the booth.

"Typical." Bastila said, "I am here, mother. Or are you too drunk to remember me?" Alex and Juhani shared concerned looks but said nothing.

"What the hell do you expect?" Helen Shan exclaimed, "I haven't seen you in decades. Not even so as a wave-message with a photo. How the hell am I suppose to recognize you?" She paused and glanced at her two companions before continuing, "Do you know how long I have been trying to find you?"

"What did you expect?" Bastila sneered, "You knew that communication would be impossible once I joined the order. Now what's this all about, mother? Where is father?" Helen studied her daughter for a hard moment and slid her drink to the opposite side of the table. She motioned to the seat there.

"Sit." Helen said simply, "I should have expected as much." Bastila studied the drink and seat but accepted neither. She turned her glare back to her mother.

"Did something happen to father?"

"Your father is dead, Bastila." Helen said after a moment, "That is part of the reason I wanted to see you."

Bastila's mind collapsed and her vision swam. Alex steadied her with a firm hand and Bastila fell into his embrace. No images came. She just let herself be held in his warm embrace. Her father…_dead_. After so many years apart, this is her home-coming? Tears brimmed in Bastila's eyes and she slowly pulled away. She offered Alex a grateful half-smile and he made the most of it. Bastila turned back to her mother who raised an eye-brow at the display of affection.

"What happened?" Bastila asked, then her eyes narrowed and anger filled her again, "What did you do to him?"

"Bas!" Alex began but she held up a hand to silence him. Helen scoffed and spoke directly at Alexander.

"Isn't this a lovely reunion?" She asked, "Already she's blaming me for everything. Tell me…you're one of her friends I'm sure. Do you treat your mother this badly."

"Leave him out of this!" Bastila stepped between the two, her eyes burning. Alex gently pushed her aside and Bastila sighed.

"My mother died a long time ago, if you must know." Alex said diplomatically. Both Juhani and Bastila blinked at this. Bastila knew it was a false memory, but still…the Jedi had given him the memory of his mother's death? Helen raised an eye brow and turned to Juhani.

"And you? I hope you at least treat your mother with the respect she deserved." She asked. Juhnai opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. More memories flashed in her mind but Alex placed a hand on her shoulder and she relaxed. Bastila stiffened at this, and Helen noticed the jealousy in her daughter's eyes.

"I…my mother has also passed on." Juhnai said after a moment, "But I cherished the time we had together."

"Is that so?" Helen said, "Well I'm likely to join her soon, I guess." Bastila sighed at the pleading tone her mother had.

"I was told you were sick." She said simply, "Are you really dying or is this another melodramatic cry for attention?"

"Such sweet things to say to your mother." She eyed Alexander and smirked, "I hope for your sake she can put that tongue of hers to better use than insults." Alex blushed at this and turned away. Bastila felt the hair on the back of her neck rise and she almost growled.

_Your mother hates you…_the voice in her head mocked_…she let your father die_

"Enough, mother!" She spat, "Tell me what happened to father." She slammed her hands on the table, knocking Helen's forgotten drink over. Helen rose to the challenge.

"I hadn't realized Jedi were so spiteful!" She spat, "You want me to tell you I brought your father here for an expedition, do you? You want to blame his death on me?"

"Hey, calm down." Alex tried to get between the two women.

"Did you?" Bastila said through her teeth, "Are you responsible for his death?"

"You never could accept that your father loved hunting. He loved traveling and searching for treasure. He loved leaving you alone with me!" Helen sighed, "But no…I was always the villain. I was always to blame." Bastila just glared at the woman. Her eyes were unmerciful.

"Fine!" Helen exlciamed, "Yes I brought your father here to look for kryat dragon pearls. On the open market just one would be worth millions. The expedition went into the desert and he died."

"How can you be so sure?" Bastila asked, "Father is an experienced hunter…you didn't even bother to look, did you?"

"I know he's dead, Bastila." Helen said sadly, and this gave Bastila a pause. "They were attacked by the kryat dragon and one of the mercs fled. He said he saw your father…my husband, die."

"I…I see…" Bastila stared at the ground.

"Oh Bastila…" Helen sighed and made to embrace her daughter. Bastila pushed back.

"So what do you want from me then? Credits?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Hardly." Helen said, "I want you to use those powers of yours. I want you to bring me your father's holocron."

"Why, so you can sell it?"

"Is it too much to ask to have something to remember my own husband by?" Helen's eyes were beginning to fill with tears, "He was the love of my life, Bastila! I knew your father better than you ever would!"

"Huh." Bastila snorted, "I'm on a very important mission from the Jed Council. I doubt I would have time to help you."

"Bastila, I am your mother." Helen gasped, "He was your father!"

"Ask my companion if you don't believe me." Bastila dismissed her mother with a shake of her head. Helen turned to Alexander.

"Please?" Was all she said. She had taken a read of the man during the last few minutes. She was positive he would accept. If he cared about her daughter in the way Helen suspected than this would be a simply decision.

"Of course." Alex said casually.

"_What?_" Bastila growled at him. She took him by the arm and pulled him a few feet away. "Alexander, I know you're trying to be some sort of…paragon. But you don't know my mother. She is just a guilty of my father's death as the dragon that killed him. I…can't bring myself to do her any favors…not anymore."

"Bastila…" Alex put both hands on her shoulders. She squirmed but he tightened his grip and the look in his eyes was like stone, "This is your mother. She is dying. All she wants is this one thing. If you don't help her now, you'll regret it for the rest of your life." Alex saw the effect his words were having. Bastila's mind processed his words, his stern features. When it came to doing the "right thing" he was unwavering. She knew this wasn't an argument or even up for discussion. He was just telling her how things were going to go. Why had she thrown him out? He would be with her and not Juhani.

"…I have too many regrets already….." Bastila whispered, her eyes glistened with tears, "Ok…ok, I'll do it." Alex smiled and tilted his head slightly. He was asking for a kiss. Bastila shook her head and retreated away from him. She turned back to the table where Helen was pressing Juhani for information on their Jedi quest.

"Ok mother." Bastila said as she approached, "We will find father's holocron."

"Thank you." Helen said, "This means a lot to me, Bastila." The young Jedi had nothing to say to that. Her mind weighed heavy on her. Her father was dead and her mother dying. She felt like the bitter anger in her had more than doubled. How in the Force's name was this supposed to be fair? She turned from her mother without another word and stormed away. The two remaining Jedi turned to Helen and she smiled.

"Don't worry. She throws tantrums when she's upset." Helen's smile made it clear she was remembering Bastila's childhood, "Some things never change." She looked at Alex, "You love, don't you?"

Alex nodded slowly and clicked his tongue, "Yeah…yeah, I do."

"Then go." She motioned to the bar door Bastila had just left through, "Go make sure she doesn't use those laser sword you Jedi carry to hurt someone."

"Take care of yourself Helen." Alex said as he walked away. He heard her laugh and her reply was lost in the noise of the crowd.

00000000000

"I don't think you should be here with us, Mission." Carth said as they made their way through Anchorhead. The teen Twi'lek scoffed.

"Hey, back off old man." She countered, "I'm just as important to this crew as you are, Mr. Pilot."

"Oh really?" Carth rounded on her, "What is it that you do, exactly? Start bar-fights? Lose your weapons in the heat of battle? Panic like a child?" The look on the teen's face said that was a step too far. Carth gulped and stammered, "I…I'm sorry Mission. I don't know why

"No, no, it's cool." Mission dismissed his apologize, "You don't think I'm good for anything. I'm just some punk-ass kid, right?"

"I…I didn't say that." Carth tried to point out. But this was Mission Vao. Fourteen year old street-rat turned Galactic rogue. Went she ranted, no force in the Galaxy could stand in her way.

"No, but you were thinking it!" She exclaimed, "You think I'm only a few cycles older than Sasha, right? I'm a child!"

"You ARE only a few cycles older than Sasha." Carth emphasized the point. Mission threw her hands in the air.

"Gah! See, right there! That condescending-soldier-boy-Mr-pilot-man-I'm-so-awesome-because-I'm-thirty attitude! I can't stand it!" Mission took a deep breath to continue but Canderous was at her in a heartbeat.

"For frakings sake, shut up!" He bellowed, loud enough to draw a few glances from shoppers, "You two are like Thanagarian moon-lemurs in heat! Just shut up!" The Veteran grumbled something to himself as he stalked off, his eyes studying the crowd fiercely. Mission didn't look at Carth but lashed out with her fist. She smacked his arm at the elbow and the pilot cuffed the back of her head with his palm.

"Hey!" Mission exclaimed and Canderous spun on his heel. Both pilot and scoundrel snapped to attention under the Mandalorian's unforgiving gaze. A few seconds passed and Canderous nodded to Carth.

"Onasi, I think we might be close." Instantly the stress-relief playfulness he had showed moments ago drained from his face and a war-veteran took its place. Carth's eyes hardened and his heart quickened. He hadn't spent a lot of time with their stowaway, but he had seen the looks Bastila and Alexander gave her. He would do his part, and gladly.

Briefly another life entered his mind. He remembered a child of his own; a son. He remembered teaching the boy to fish and fire a child's zap-gun. Carth crushed the memories with a grimace. That life was gone; burned in the fires of betrayal. Canderous nodded in approval but Mission baulked at the sudden change in demeanor of her bickering partner.

"Carth?" She asked, her voice a whisper.

"Not now Mission." He nearly growled and pulled the two pistols from his belt. Mission nodded slowly and drew Alexander's heavy blaster from her hip. She had tried to given the characteristic weapon back to him, but Alex had politely but firmly refused. It was her heavy blaster now, and its weight was a great comfort. It was not her most treasured possession but it was damn near the top. Mission followed her two companions down a back alley, her heart hammering in her chest.

Canderous held up a hand to signal a halt. The Republic pilot responded instantly, but the Twi'lek teen kept walking. Canderous shot out his fist to stop her. She grimaced at him but said nothing. Canderous peered around the corner and glanced down the long alleyway. There, next to an unmarked door, two human guards stood. They wore black carapace armor and hand expensive rifles over their shoulders. Whoever ran this slave-market, they were well equipped. Luckily what the guards had in equipment they loss in intelligence and discipline. There was a sizeable distance between the two and the door. It was obvious they were also playing dice and gambling. Still…better deal with them quietly so as not to alert those inside. Canderous turned to his companions. He tapped his rifle, shook his head, motioned to Carth and himself and waved a hand in front of Mission. Carth nodded grimly and holstered both pistols. Canderous set his rifle on the ground and drew the blade from his hip. He glanced back at Carth and was pleased to see a grim look on his face and a vibro-knife in his hands.

"What are you doing?"Misson whispered. Canderous sighed and crawled around the corner, leaving Carth to fill the clueless teen in.

"Stay here." Carth whispered back, "And it's best if you look away…this is going to be messy." Mission's face paled a little, but she wanted to look mature.

"I've seen worse." She said with as much confidence as she could muster. Carth crouched down and turned one last time to her.

"I hope for your sake that was a lie." He said and stalked after Canderous. His steps were quick and quiet. The guards were completely unaware of his approach. As distasteful as this was, Carth couldn't bring himself to feel sorry for these men. They willingly trafficked in slaves. This was justice as far as he could tell. Canderous was within striking distance and Carth was so close he could see the hair on the back of the guard's neck. The two guards laughed and placed more credits down as a bet.

Carth glanced at Canderous and the Mandalorian narrowed his eyes and nodded. He struck fast, his blade coming down in a graceless arch and burying itself in the first guard's skull. The other gasped and jumped back, right into Carth. The Republic pilot gripped the man's mouth, tilted his head back and in one slash, severed the man's throat. The guard dropped, gurgling his last moments and died a heartbeat later. Canderous wrenched his blade from his target's skull and retrieved a ident card from the man's pocket.

Canderous moved quickly, his blood racing. He put his back to the wall next to the unmarked door and slammed his fist against it twice. Carth reacted quickly and took up a similar spot on the opposite side. As predicted a small vision-slit opened.

"Yeah?" A voice growled and a moment passed, "Oh shit!" The door opened and a third guard in similar garb rushed out. He barely got three steps before Canderous buried his blade into his neck and ended him.

"Bad way to die." Canderous commented.

"Being a slave is a bad way to live." Carth countered, "Let them die." The Mandalorian chuckled darkly.

"You'd have made a fine Mandalorian, Onasi." Canderous said. Carth's face darkened.

"I'm nothing like you." He said firmly. Carth turned from the veteran and waved to Mission. The Twi'lek jogged over quickly, Canderous' rifle in her arms. She couldn't bring herself to look at the bodies and followed Carth and Canderous through the now open door.

0000000000

"Are you sure your friend is alright?" Sharina Fizark asked for the tenth time in as many minutes. Bastila sighed again and put a hand to her forehead. This woman was as intolerable as her mother.

"Yes, I'm sure he's fine." Bastila had repeated this line so many times it was getting on her nerves. Of course Alexander would be the type of man to talk to anyone who looked like they needed help. And of course he would offer it. Bastila felt her admiration and her annoyance at him rise.

Helping the needy was a Jedi's job, no matter how aggravating the helpless always were. She admired his almost obsessive behavior towards the helpless. He was saintly she supposed. But that didn't make these side trips any less taxing. It seemed no matter where they went, no matter how many people they strove to save, there was always more. More. MORE.

What was the point in helping so many? The Jedi had been around for thousands of years, and doubtless they would be around for thousands more. Young Force-aspirants would be training in the hallowed halls of the Jedi Temples, some new some old, long after Bastila and her ilk had passed from memory. Bastila, Juhani and Johlee would eventually be forgotten. Even Revan and Malak, the instigators of a Galactic War, would eventually pass from all knowledge save a few post-action reports in the Jedi archives. What would Bastila have to show for her life? A hundred years from now, as Bastila lay on her death bed, assuming she had not fallen in combat before then, what would Bastila remember? What would her legacy be?

Would she be the Jedi who ended Galactic hunger? Or slavery? Poverty or war? Was that even possible? For every problem she solved two more took its place. The Galaxy was a hydra, and each head was a population in turmoil, or a planet ravaged by war. Despair started to weigh the young Jedi down.

_It's hopeless…_

Bastila considered the voice's words. She knew it was just her subconscious being allowed too much freedom, but it was a valid point never the less. Galactic peace really did seem hopeless. Even factoring out the monumental task of Galactic levels of intervention, was it worth it? Did the number of good souls outnumber the bad? Was the Galaxy even worth saving? Was any of it worth saving? Why not let planets burn in the fires of civil war? What did the Jedi owe any of them? Surely war was just as natural as peace. What the Jedi could solve with a summit-meeting could just as easily be solved with armed revolution. A Jedi's time was valuable and limited; it was said there was less than one Jedi for every world in the Galaxy. Each one of them bore an awesome responsibility towards the Galaxy, but ultimately what good did it do?

How many long forgotten Jedi had spent their entire lives fighting for freedom or protecting the innocent? Bastila knew of Jedi who braved plague contaminated planets to deliver medicine, and others who had spent years easing tension between rival cites, worlds or star-systems. But the Galaxy was still at war, and plagues still took their tolls. Would the Galaxy really miss one Jedi? Or two? After Bastila and Alexander defeated Malak and his Empire, would the Galaxy care if the two faded to obscurity together on some remote farm world? Would anyone even notice? Doubtless some new warlord or tyrant would rise with dreams of Galactic conquest and doubtless another ad-hoc crew of heroes would strive to save the Galaxy…again. And again. And again.

_Unless…someone imposed order…unless someone had an iron grip on the Galaxy…_

Bastila was pulled from her heavy thoughts by the door to the Tatooine hunting lodge sliding open. From inside Bastila could hear roaring laughter and what sounded like a wrestling match between two drunk hunters. Alex strode out with that damned handsome grin of his. Force above how she hated and loved that grin. It was so arrogant, yet so charming. Bastila just wanted to rip it off his face with her lips.

"Well, did you sell it?" Sharina Fizark asked as Alex approached. The Jedi smiled and handed her a credit-pad. The woman looked at the amount listed and gasped.

"Seven hundred credits?" She exclaimed, "That…that can't be right. A wraid plate is only worth three hundred, tops!"

"Well I convinced them it was a particularly impressive desert wraid plate." Alex shrugged, "A few mumbled words, a drink or two, and everyone was clamoring to buy it."

"I…I don't know how to thank you enough." Sharina said, overcome with emotion, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She hugged him fiercely and went off, staring at the flashing "700" on the datapad. When she was out of ear-shot, Bastila turned to Alexander.

"How much did it really go for?"

"About four-eighty." He said with a shrug. Bastila rolled her eyes.

"You know we don't have unlimited funds, and we certainly don't have unlimited time." She chided.

"Bas, if we don't stop to do the right thing, who will?" Alex asked. He gave her a charming, amused glance.

"Is it really doing any good?" She whispered. Alex had turned away from her, but he glanced back.

"What was that?" For the briefest moment, with his hair billowing in the wind and his armor covered in dust, Bastila thought about her visions. She didn't see Alexander as he was, but as Revan, the hero of the Republic. The man who had been pushed to the edge of the abyss by the bitter reality of war, and toppled over.

"Alex, I-" Bastila began but Juhani approached carrying bags of desert apparel.

"These should protect us while we search for the star-map." She said and handed her companions a bag each, "But we will still need to procure a sand person's clothing."

"Are we really going to broker peace with those…nomads?" Bastila sighed; another Force-damn side mission. How many were there?

"It's the right thing to do, Bas." Alex offered, "I-" The communicator on Alex's belt chimed and he quickly activated it, "Go."

+We found the slave-marker!+ The Jedi could hear screams and laser-fire behind Mission's voice. Instantly the three were ready for combat. +Bit off more than we can chew. Come in on this signal+

"On our way. Keep tight." Alex closed the channel and nodded to each of his companions. As one they took off in a Force assisted sprint, their lightsabers drawn and ready.

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The three raced down the corridor, weapons blazing. Canderous fired from the hip, his rifle raking unprepared guards with blistering fire. Carth fired bursts of fire, keeping the more alert guards behind their cover. Mission for her part, still unfamiliar with Alex's heavy blaster capabilities, fired single shots. Each was a aimed carefully, and each was a kill shot.

A squad of guards flooded from a side room and brought their rifles to bear. But these men were different. They wore silver plate armor, contoured around their hard muscles. But it was the faceless, single visors masks that they noticed. Canderous' lips curled in disgust. It was true! Neo-crusaders. Raiders and pirates. Scum.

Canderous fired a barrage of shots at these would-be Mandalorians. One unlucky bastard took the full furry in his chest and pitched over, little more than burning remains. The rest of the squad advanced slowly, peppering the hallway with fire. Carth ducked behind a corner and tossed Mission a frag grenade. She nodded, primed the device, and lobbed it down at the advancing squad. Carth tossed a plasma grenade a second later.

The entire building was rocked with the twin explosions and the Mandalorian squad simply disappeared. Only one survived, but his armor was broken and bloodied. Canderous advanced with menacing intent. He slid the blade from its sheath and stood over the dying man.

"The slave-pins, trooper." He snarled and stepped on the bleeding stub of the man's leg, "Where are they?" The Mandalorian screamed and the sound made Canderous twitch in anger.

"Down…down that way!" He pointed and Canderous brought his blade down. The Mandalorian died and Canderous spat on the remains.

"Pathetic excuse for a Mandalorian." He snarled and turned to his companions, "Let's go." The three ran down the hallway and found a blastdoor blocking their way. Canderous entered a random code, and when it failed he pulled the casing off the entry-pad.

"Mission, run a bypass." He commanded and turned back the way they came, rifle ready to deal with any stragglers. Mission pulled her hacking kit from her belt and wired into the system. It was a crude numerical lock. Seconds later the blast doors ground open and they gasped.

Beyond was a massive hanger, filled with a dozen starships and hundreds of cages. Most were empty, but a few had shackled mal-nourished sentients in them. A gathering of almost thirty men on the far-side drew their attention. The three had not been noticed yet. Perhaps that was a good thing. Canderous made his way over to a cargo crate and peered at the gathering. They could hear part of the conversation.

_How many are there?_

_You lost them?_

Canderous hissed at the familiarity in the voice. His eyes hardened at the apparent leader of the slave-trade here on Tatooine.

"Canderous?" Mission whispered to the steel-eyed Mandalorian, "Who is that?"

"A ghost." Canderous replied grimly, "One that needs to be reminded how real Mandalorians act." Canderous narrowed his eyes and felt the blood rush in his ears.

_Jaggi…_

Canderous stormed from cover. He was livid. His vision was red and the blood raced so loud in his veins he could barely hear his friends calling out to him.

"JAGGI!" He bellowed at the group. The men turned to him, and one was foolish enough to raise a blaster. Canderous shot him in the face with a single round and the man toppled over, his head little more than a smoldering crater.

"Canderous Ordo!" The voice dripped with venom and hatred, "By the Gods, look at you old man. Time has not been kind to your features."

"Nor has it to your judgment." Canderous countered, "Slave trading? This is what you are reduced to?"

"Don't judge me, Canderous." Jaggi snarled, "You of all people have no right to question judgment."

"How did you survive that battle?" Canderous asked, "I saw your fighter go down in a blaze of glory." He shook his head, "You should have stayed dead, Jaggi. You could have saved your reputation that way."

"Don't lecture me about reputations, coward!" Jaggi yelled, "If you hadn't abandoned the formation, our squadron would still be alive!"

"I did what was tactically prudent at the time." Canderous' voice wavered for a moment, "You were a soldier, Jaggi. You were to follow my orders to the letter, even until death."

"Fine, seeing how you are so set on the old ways, let's do this properly." Jaggi drew his pistol and tossed it to the floor, "Ralgar, your blade." A Mandalorian drew a vibrosword from his belt and handed it to Jaggi. Canderous grinned and placed his repeater on the ground and drew the hacking blade from his belt.

"To the death then, Jaggi." He snarled. Jaggi nodded and advanced slowly.

"Aye, the death."

The door at the far end of the hanger exploded in a blaze of fire and debris. The slavers staggered under the shock wave and raised blasters in shaking hands. There, advancing through the dust, three figures armed with glowing blades of light.

"Jedi, here?" Jaggi gasped, "Kill them!" His attention was turned from Canderous who lashed out with his blade. The strike took Jaggi in the arm, but failed to cut through the armor. Jaggi rounded on Canderous and swung his blade down to sever the veteran's head.

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Laser fire cut into the ground all around Alexander. His Force abilities kept the fire from striking him as he charged headlong into the slavers. His mind searched briefly and instantly found Sasha's terrified mind in the cages. He sent a whip-crack thought into Mission's mind, ordering her to find the girl and get her back to the Ebon Hawk. He was certain Carth would help her. Alexander turned his attention to the rapidly closing distances between him and the slavers. He leapt the last few meters with the Force and landed with his blade poised down. The blade passed through a slaver's head with easy, felling him. To his left and right Bastila and Juhani smashed into the slavers.

Juhani tore into the slavers with wild ferocity. She lashed out with her lightsaber and her claws. Each strike rent flesh open and spilled blood. The scent of the precious fluid was thick in the air and Juhani snarled. More memories entered her mind and she used it to fuel her prowess. She did not give into the anger to become a full berserker, but controlled it. Small amounts of anger were used with each strike, just enough to get in close and finish the job. She would not let Alexander down again. A slaver swung a bayonet at her head, and Juhani easily dodged out of the way and cut the man's head from his shoulders. More slavers surrounded her and she tore into them, seeing her own tormentors in their eyes.

Bastila moved with cold detachment. Each block, counter and strike was timed perfectly. The voices in her head drove her on. She told herself she wasn't trying to compete with Juhani, that this was not a contest for Alexander's approval.

_Why not…_

Bastila reeled under a blow she should have easily seen coming. The Mandalorian raised his blaster to strike again and Bastila lashed out with the Force. She gripped something inside him, squeezed it and wrenched it aside. The Mandalorian groaned in agony and collapsed.

This voice in her head was going to get her killed! Bastila swung her duel-lightsaber in a graceful arch, separating the torso from the legs of two Mandalorian slavers in one blow. A flurry of las-beams roared passed her and Bastila deflected a dozen back at her attackers. Two slavers fell, clutching smoking holes in their bodies. Bastila surged passed them to clove into a slaver who was trying to get a lock on her companions with a bulky auto-cannon.

Bastila glanced in at the melee and made a bee-line for Alexander. Her partner was engaged in a vicious duel with a scarred Mandalorian slaver with a jagged Mohawk and teeth filed down to fangs. Bastila approached quickly and plunged her blade into the back of the slaver and tore her lightsaber through the Mandalorian's hip. Alex blinked in surprise and grinned.

"That was my kill." He almost chuckled. Bastila allowed herself a smile, remembering her days with him on Dantooine.

"I…I want…" She couldn't bring herself to say it but Alex put a finger over her lips and smiled gently.

"Come on, there is more work to do." He said and charged back into the melee. Bastila smiled to herself and followed him, her lightsaber bringing death to all it touched.

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Mission raced through the cargobay, Carth two steps behind her. Laser fire tore into the cages around them and Mission was tackled to the floor as Carth dove for cover. The Twi'lek grunted and glanced up. She saw a screaming blonde girl, eyes shut and hands covering her ears, in a cage a dozen meters away.

"Carth!" She screamed and pointed. The pilot saw Sasha and nodded. He rose quickly and fired both pistols to devastating effectiveness. Four slavers fell, riddled with bloody holes. Mission sprinted towards the cage and slid to a halt by it.

"Sasha?" She whispered. The girl opened her tear covered eyes and instantly put her hands through the cage bars to grasp Mission's gloved hand. The Twi'lek smiled despite the situation. "I'm here. It's going to be okay. Take a step back sweetie." She pulled Alexander's blaster from her belt and Sasha scurried to the far corner of her cage. Mission blasted the data-lock off the cage door and it swung open. Sasha leapt into her arms and Mission felt a sense of family she had thought lost since Griff left. She clutched Sasha tightly and kissed her forehead.

"We're getting you out of here." She whispered.

"Mission, let's go!" Carth yelled over the firefight. Mission looked up and nodded. She held Sasha close to herself, cradling her like a beloved little sister and sprinted for cover. Carth fired another volley and downed another Mandalorian.

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Canderous grunted in pain as Jabbi's vibrosword slid passed his guard and cut across his hand. The cut was deep and the blade dropped from his now numbed fingers. Canderous roared in anger and tackled Jaggi to the floor. He had killed enough in his life to know he could murder Jaggi with tooth and nail if need be. To his credit, Jaggi recovered quickly and swung his mailed, spike-laden fist at Canderous' head; the blow connected with a hollow ring and Canderous felt something in his skull crack. The Mandalorian veteran surged forward and locked his gloved hands around Jaggi's throat. The arrogant fool had thought this place was secure enough to walk around without a helmet. Canderous squeezed with all his might, pressing his fingers in the leather skin of Jaggi's neck, intent on showing him the cost of his folly. Gouts of thick, red fluid began to stream from Jaggi's many wounds and he tried in vain to suck air through his windpipe.

The spike glove returned, crashing in Canderous' head again and again. Warm blood filled Canderous' mouth and his teeth rattled in his jaw. Jaggi head butted him, and Canderous was sure his nose broke, but he stood firm, the righteous, even joyful lust of his hate-rage flattening the pain. Canderous' vision fogged with the sweet anticipatory surge of a hand-to-hand kill, as Jaggi's tongue began to twitch madly, lapping for breaths it could not take. Canderous was dimly aware of Jaggi's fists punching his head and fists, flailing to inflict some sort of damage on him before he ended his life.

Canderous registered a vibro-knife at the edges of his vision, then the sudden bloom of pain in his left thigh; he ignored it and squeezed tighter, compacting Jaggi's throat into a ruined tube of bloody meat and broken cartilage. Jaggi twisted the blade and Canderous grunted in pain. He lifted Jaggi's head up by his throat and brought it crashing back to the steel floor. Jaggi lost his grip on the knife in his daze and his vision blurred. Blood erupted from his mouth as his lungs began to fail. Canderous raised him up again, and brought his skull down on the floor. This time there was a sharp crack as the back of Jaggi's skull flattened. Jaggi's eyes rolled into the back of his skull and Canderous was sure he was dead. Still, he slammed the Mandalorian's skull into the ground one last time and blood and liquid brain matter began to seep from the dented skull. Canderous rose on shaking legs and pulled the knife from his leg with a grimace.

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The battle was over in minutes. Amongst the dead were Jaggi Ordo, and Lur Arka Sulas. The former had been caught by surprise attempting to flee by Juhani. The Cathar had showed no mercy to the slave master and had torn his asunder. With battle won, the Jedi turned to the task of freeing the few slaves in the cargo area. Canderous stood over the leaking body of Jaggi. His old friend's features were twisted in pain and his body was limp and pale. What had happened to the great Mandalorian crusaders? Was this what he was destined to? An ignoble death on some backwater planet? Canderous turned from the body and grimaced as he limped away. His companions had sense enough not to stop him or offer medical assistance. The war-veteran's blood was still up and he was one wrong word from violence. Canderous left the cargo bay, and he hoped, his old life behind him.

"Hey, Alex!" Mission's voice cut through the pregnant silence of the cargo-bay. Alex looked up from the wound he was treating on a Rohian female's leg. At the far end of the cargo bay he saw Mission standing there, a little girl holding her hand. Alex smiled and turned back to the former slave.

"Will you be alright now?" He asked. The Rodian nodded and gave her approximation of a smile.

"Yes, human. I will survive." She said and Alex took off in a sprint. He met Sasha half-way and the little girl clung him. He smiled down at her and soon Bastila approached and smiled down at her companion and their stowaway. Alex looked at her and held a hand out. Bastila blushed, took it and kneeled down by them. She let herself be pulled into the embrace and smiled as Sasha snuggled closer to her. A single tear of joy went unnoticed as it traveled down Bastila's cheek and for the first time all day, the voice in her head was silent.

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Bandon looked down from the gantry to the massive cargo area of his bulk cruiser. It wasn't the prettiest or fastest of the Sith armada, but its cargo was by far the deadliest. Darth Bandon stood on a walkway overlooking the hectic activity of the tech-engineers as they readied their precious cargo. They swarmed like ants over its hull and weapon mounts. Compared to the siege walker they might as well have been ants; just an insignificant and mindless.

Bandon smiled under his robes. The Jedi bitch may have escaped Malak's destruction of Taris and she may have gotten the best of Calo Nord and his bounty hunters, but she would not escape him. Bandon would succeed where even his Master failed; where even Revan failed.

_Soon _Bandon thought, _Soon Bastila will be dead, I will be in command of the Sith Empire_ _and the Galaxy will burn. _

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_I know this was short, but I really wanted to get these two chapters out. I plan on Tatooine being longer than the other planets, maybe about six-to-eight chapters. _

_Thank you for your patience and hopefully this met your expectations. _


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